Crafty Ladies

RHS Chapter 13395
Silver Spring, Maryland
Email: craftyladies13@verizon.net

Meet Us

About Us

Members:

Most ladies attended our April 2009 Anniversary Party

Row 1: Lois, Elsie, Evelyn, Jackie
Row 2: Linda, Carole, Madge, Carol, Billie
Row 3: Claire, Peggy

(Can you pick out the April Birthday girls?)

Carol A. - Royal Crimson Bard [ Photo ]
	I am one of those rare birds, a Native Washingtonian! I was born at Georgetown University Hospital on April 4, 1952 and have lived in the Washington Metropolitan area all my life, with the exception of college. I attended High Point High School and a small college in Wisconsin--Milton College in Milton, Wisconsin. I've been a poet since the age of 10, hence my Red Hat title, Royal Crimson Bard. I also act and sing (my B.A. is in Theatre), and collect bears, mostly Boyd's. The beach, especially Jamaica, is my second home and I collect shells wherever I go. I have several other collections as well, including books (a voracious reader!), jewelry, Victoriana, cookbooks, and dolls. From what Ive observed, I'm one of the few single (never married) Red Hatters and I have no children.
	Hobbies: Since becoming a Red Hat Crafty Lady I have discovered yet another facet of myself and make crafts on a regular basis, both in chapter events and on my own.
Madge B. - Speedy [ Photo ]
Lois B. - Princess Loika [ Photo ]
	I was born in Washington, DC, but moved to Silver Spring, MD at the ripe old age of 13 months. Ever since, I have lived in Maryland and graduated from Montgomery Blair H.S. in 1954. Afterwards I attended Maryland University for 1 year. In 1956 I got married to my husband, Will. We had 41 years together before his death in 1997. I have one son, 2 daughters, and 7 grandchildren. In 1999, after 29 years of service I retired from MCPS . I am active at The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew and from April through October I make as many trips to Rehoboth Beach as possible.
Billie C. - Early Bird [ Photo ]
	Born and grew up in a pretty town in New Jersey. Had a wonderful childhood on the Jersey Shore where my parents owned a cottage on the water. Attended Trenton State College, studied Library Science, then worked in the Westfield Public Library until I married and my husband rescued me from becoming all dried up and dusty like the books. We moved to Washington D.C, Virginia and Maryland, while he worked for AT&T. We had seven wonderful children together but sadly my dear husband died in 1970. I managed to bring up the children, made sure they received good educations, some went to college and some opted not to, but all survived on my cooking! No mean feat! Even I don't like my cooking! I retired from Vitro after ten years and for ten years I worked for STSC, on a temporary arrangement where I sat in wherever someone quit suddenly or went on leave, or on vacation. I used that money to travel all over the world. Quit at 73. That's it!
Elsie C. [ Photo ]
Carole F. - Lady Bug [ Photo ]
	I remember walking to school on the top of snow banks! I was born in Buffalo, NY and the winters were, and still are, COLD. My husband and I moved to Maryland in 1960. I worked part time while raising our three children and continued working full and part time for various CPA firms in the area as an administrative assistant and office manager. We recently moved to the Frederick area and I love the country lifestyle. Its so nice to go shopping and pass cows and pigs on the way. I am an animal lover and live with two long-haired Chihuahuas who go Rving with us. I have volunteered at the local animal shelter, a rehabilitation center and at a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. Retirement allows me to pursue my many hobbies.
	Hobbies: My hobbies include, but are not limited to, line dancing, traveling in our RV, playing Mah Jongg, messing aroundwith my computer and birding. Also, I love creating mosaic pieces and fusing glass in my kiln. Even though I have moved from Silver Spring, I still retain my membership in the Crafty Ladies Red Hat Society because of the great friendships I have found here.
Claire L. - Krafty Kayla [ Photo ]
	I was born in Scranton, PA, not too far from the Poconos and the Catskill Mts. It was very cold and we had lots of snow. It was nothing unusual to have snow for Easter. The people in Scranton were very warm and kind, always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone smiled and said Hello, or good morning, when you got on the "street car" (for 8 cents)(yes, I remember the street car). When I was 15 I wanted to get a part-time job, so I lied about my age and sold shoes for Fashion Shoes. The owner, and mgr., Jack Pinsky, taught me a great deal. I was paid $2.50 per DAY, believe it or not those were the good old days. In 1951, I married Marvin Liebling and moved to this area. I missed the slower pace and the hectic-free life in Scranton, and of course I missed my friends and family. I had two daughters, Robbie and Helene, and one grandson, Robert. Marvin and I were married 56 years, when he died; 2 years later Robbie died; losing a child is something you never get over. In 1980 I was part owner of an electrical contracting business (had two partners). In 1988 it was time for me to retire, I no longer wanted the pressure and headaches of owning a business. Before Marvin got sick, he and I did a bit of traveling; as he got older and sicker, that stopped. I needed some type of outlet where I could meet other women in my same situation. I joined Mary Kay, what better way to meet women. There I met Linda. We became good friends and found out we enjoyed the same things, i.e., travel, crafts, knitting, theatre, etc. Someone once said we are "like an old married couple"!!! I heard about the Red Hat Society on one of our bus trips, and Linda and I came up with the Crafty Ladies. Today we are a group of approximately a dozen women who all love wearing their red hats and purple outfits!!!!
	Hobbies: Travel, crafts, knitting, theatre
Peggy L. - Momma Kat [ Photo ]
	My twin sister Patsy and I were born on August 11, 1937 to a family of 9 children in a little town, Shamokin, PA. My dad was a coal miner, and drove coal trucks. When the war started he decided to move the family to South East Pennsylvania to work in the shipyards. We lived 17 S. of Philadelphia in Delaware County. I graduated from Eddystone High School and got married in 1955 to a wonderful guy named Bill Lister. We had two sons, Bill and Joe and two daughters, Mary and Patti. We moved north of Baltimore in 1968 so Bill could work in the Electricians Union Local 24. I worked as an elementary school Teachers Aide and then at Johns Hopkins Hospital as a medical secretary. He passed away in 1985 and in 1991 I remarried, moved to WV and worked at the West Virginia University S/M, but that husband was an abuser, so I came back to Maryland at the request of my daughter Pat, to be a nanny to my grandson Ryne. In 1999 I was thinking of moving to Florida when Pat asked me to stay as she was expecting triplet daughters. The arrival of Skylar, Jordan, and Cami kept me busy. I am the chief cook and bottle washer, and Pat calls me the "Glue that holds this house together". I have enjoyed being here with the children but needed some friends of my own. I was introduced to the Red Hat Society while visiting Florida and came home to check into clubs available here in Silver Spring. I joined The Crafty Ladies in 2003 and have certainly enjoyed all the pleasures of "wearing red and purple", dinner out, game times, traveling, the theater and mostly the friendship of all the ladies. I am also active in my church and volunteer at the local schools. I am proud to say that I have 4 wonderful children, 10 grandchildren, and 1 greatgrandson. I have been greatly blessed and enjoy life to the fullest.
	Hobbies: I love to craft, read, knit, crochet, travel and spend time with family and friends.
Linda R. - Bubbles [ Photo ]
	I am a true Washingtonian!!! I grew up in the Chevy Chase, MD area, attending B-CC High School. I attended college in Virginia and started working for the Federal government in 1968. At the end of 2005, I retired with 37 1/2 years of service. Since then I have been extremely busy fulfilling my desire to travel. In April 2003, my friend, Claire, and I formed the Crafty Ladies, a Red Hat Society Chapter. I thoroughly enjoy spending quality time with my grandchildren, Britney, Cassidie and twins, Taylor and Chace. Although I do not get to see my other daughter, Tina, as much as I would like, I do visit her in Michigan with her husband, Steve, and their five cats!!! I also travel to Colorado Springs, CO, to vist with my sister, Barbara, who moved closer to her grandchildren.
	Hobbies: I am truly a Crafty Lady. I love to crochet many different items--baby blankets and sweaters, afghans, scarves, slippers, etc. I have recently picked up knitting again, and have been knitting socks, felted bags and slippers, and sweaters. I create greeting cards using stamps, design t-shirts and sweatshirts with fabric paint, make designs on wood boxes, and stamp a variety of fabrics.
Jackie S. - Polychrome [ Photo ]
	As a child, I loved the OZ books. My favorite character in all of them was the Rainbow King's Daughter, Polychrome. I admired Polychrome because although she was a very pretty Princess with floaty hair and a gossamer gown, she also was mischievous and a little disobedient, yet wise, and therefore had big adventures. This freedom really appealed to sheltered goody two-shoes little me. Years later, during my very free New Age phase, I adopted Polychrome as my moniker because of the name's relationship to the rainbow's mystical light spectrum. I also liked that it had a technical sound to it since I was a nerdy IT techie by then. Over twenty years later, for the Crafty Ladies I have once again chosen it, remembering the exuberance of the daring Polychrome of my childhood, while also paying tribute to my current interest in making videos of trips and life events.
	Hobbies: Video journaling, gardening, hands-on home improvement, experimenting with different crafts, especially if recycled/repurposed materials are involved, and web site design. And lately, hunting in Dollar Stores and Thrift Shops for hidden treasures to add to my growing Red Hat wardrobe.
Evelyn T. - Ever Ready Evelyn [ Photo ]
	I was born in Cumberland, MD. However, when I was one year old, my family moved to the Silver Spring area where I grew up. I graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) High School in 1943. During the war, I was a hostess at the USO in Bethesda serving the service men coffee. I got married in 1946 and have three daughters and eleven grandchildren. I retired from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with 30 years of service and, after moving to Leisure World, went to work for two attorneys in Rockville. I love music, card playing and being with people, which was a major reason for joining the Red Hat Society in 2004. This has brought much enjoyment into my life.
	Hobbies: Playing cards, music

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