The Cactus Wren Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) was formed on February 24, 1988 with the enthusiasm and guidance of Jinny Allanson and Emmalou Eaton. There were 19 Charter Members who elected Emmalou our first President. The first project was a needlepointed nametag, which each member stitched. Stitch-in groups (a social and instructive time), a Community Service Project, and Christmas tree ornaments for the tree at Great American Bank where monthly meetings were held were added. Arlene Ehli planned the first Holiday party. Nan Kuhn assembled packets of nametags for visiting guests as well as other projects to raise funds for the treasury.

In 1989, Helen Thompson was elected President. Helen also held classes (the first of several to follow in the years ahead) for a tote bag. Many other projects were offered from ANG and more lovely ornaments were created for the tree, along with a tree skirt of antique Santas. The Chapter sold stitched items at Green Valley’s Country Fair to increase the treasury for a future Community Project. The first Spring Luncheon was held at Tubac Country Club.

Cactus Wren Chapter grew to 48 members in 1990 with Ann Hardy Payne as President. An ambitious Community Project was conceived, with area schools involved. (See attached article with photographs from the October/November ’92 issue of "Needlepointers.") The students drew pictures choosing their own subjects (i.e. "fun at the library," "the Santa Cruz Valley," or a favorite story.) Twelve finalists were chosen and their designs were transferred to canvas. Members stitched and stitched and all twelve were framed and presented to the Green Valley Library, where they hang to this day in the children’s section. The Christmas tree skirt was completed by Babs Nemecek, and along with more completed ornaments added to the tree at the bank. The annual ANG Seminar was held in Santa Fe, NM and eleven members attended.

Babs Nemecek was our President in 1991. Projects during the year included miniature portraits, basket bands and tassels, pillows, and lacing canvasses to mounting boards for framing. An auction of equipment, canvasses, threads, etc. donated by members was successful increasing our treasury for future projects. Ann Hardy Payne completed an angel to grace the top of the Christmas tree. The monthly newsletter to members was initiated and the membership grew to 55.

The Cactus Wren President in 1993 was Jinny Allanson. During the year many of our members guided us through several projects: Dolores Pickell with a design for a button cover/earring ornament; Emmalou Eaton with a box top with a 4-way Bargello; Earla Swope with a drawn thread scissors case; Pat Phillips with a Christmas ball ornament; and Helen Thompson continued instruction on the tote bag. (Some of our members have finished their totes, while "others" are still stitchin’.) Show ‘n’ Tell was added to our meetings and inspired us to expand our horizons. The painting of the Madera Canyon triptych was underway. We had 69 members.

In 1994, Pat Phillips was President. Members continued to raise fund so the triptych project could continue under the direction of Emmalou Eaton. Our own talented teachers continued to come up with fascinating projects and everyone enjoyed doing them. Mary Watkins conceived the idea of a member cookbook as a fund raising project. Never in our wildest dreams did we know just how successful this endeavor would be. Membership grew to 85.

Pat Phillips was re-elected President, in 1995. Needles and Pans, our cookbook, was a huge success due to Mary Watkins and staff and all the contributing members. We also held the "Tour of Stitcher’s Homes" as a fundraiser, which was well attended, and garnered more revenue for our treasury. Programs for the year included a "Study in Threads" by Dolores Pickell, ANG program "Foxfire" with Ann Hardy Payne as leader, "Elegant Button" was taught by Pat Phillips, silk ribbons on canvas was explained to us by Helen Crawford and a Hardanger project was taught by Babs Nemecek. Many first happened during this year. Our first national teacher, Joan Thomasson came for a four day workshop and in November our second national teacher, Marjorie Williams did a two-day seminar. Camp Cactus Wren was held for the first time in the summer of 1995. Our chapter pins were designed. Also, plans were made for the first "Threaded Treasurers" exhibit of members needlework which was held in the spring of 1996. Our hospitality table was set up at each meeting to greet members and guests and sell opportunity tickets. Other firsts were our Christmas luncheon and inter-chapter bazaar. ANG Seminar was held in Seattle, Mary Watkins captured Second Prize in Adaptation Non-professional and Delegate’s Choice Awards for "A Perfect End of the Day." Pat Phillips took First Prize in Painted Design Non-professional for her "Santa Marta" by Ann Speece Mills. We were all very proud of them both. Our membership was 122.

Jane Browder is our President in 1996. In April, the triptych started in 1992 was completed and hung in the Green Valley library. Thirty members attended the three day stitching retreat, called Camp Cactus Wren, at the Tubac Country Club. Our own members stitched a reversible name tag, design suggestions and stitched by eight of our own members helped us with ideas. Concentrating on bringing in teachers for furthering our education, saw Marnie Ritter, national teacher, for 2 two day workshops in November, Diane Evans, a designer from Delaware and Gail Savage, shop owner from Scottsdale each for a one-day workshop. Mary Watkins and Pat Phillips were selected to stitch an original Christmas stocking for the White House tree, a great honor. We began the annual decorating of the Christmas Tree at the Chamber of Commerce with ornaments stitched by our members. The January biannual "Tour of Stitcher’s Homes" was an enjoyable and successful event. Our Chapter was extremely proud when Meredith Morton capture Best of Show, the prestigious Princess Grace Award and First Place in Charted Designs with her "Kashan Carpet" at the ANG National Seminar. Pat Phillips and Phyllis Richardson won Honorable Mention in the Hand Painted – Without Instruction category. Our membership had grown to 132.

In 1997, Phyllis Richardson was elected President. Due to all of our fundraisers, we have been able to continue our education in needlepoint by having national level teachers from ANG. This year we had a workshop by Diane Evans. She taught us her geometric design, "Lois." We also were fortunate to have national instructors, Mary Ellen Searcy, Marnie Ritter, and Gail Savage. Our Chapter was again invited to participate in the White House Christmas tree project. Twelve of our members were stitchers of the Toyland theme. At the ANG Seminar in Detroit, Phyllis Richardson was awarded Third Prize for Non-professional adaptation and the Mary Fry award for best use of color. Meredith Morton’s "Kashan Carpet" was featured on the cover of "Needlepointers." Again our members did us proud!

Gretchen Helkamp was President in 1998. On our tenth anniversary, Phyllis Richardson presented all of the past Presidents with a ten year pin, a laurel wreath with "10" in the center and a hanging gavel. Threaded Treasure II, was held in March and chaired by Nancy Sour. Ethel Skowronski and Kathy Statz came up with some fun projects: "Hearts by Four" and "Santa Fe Steps" to name a couple. Cassie Prescott of Sundance Designs in Tucson spoke to us in April on her trip to Europe to visit the DMC factory as their guest. ANG National teacher, Michele Roberts of Houston, TX, instructed us in the use of metals and metallics in her "Heart" design. The ANG Seminar was held in San Diego with sixteen members attending. Meredith Morton did it again! She earned four awards with "Daughter of the Sun": Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice, Delegate’s Choice and Second Place for Adaptation – Non Professional. She also won People’s Choice Award at our own "Threaded Treasures." "Daughter of the Sun" graced the cover of the March, 1999, issue of the "Needlepointers."

In 1999, Kathy Statz was President. Projects for the year were planned by Margaret von Kuegelgen (Vice President) and Dolores Pickell. Dolores Pickell taught a four way Bargello project, Nancy Pfeiffer led us through the confusion of a round ornament, Ruth Deobler helped us understand the complexities of Blackwork, and Earla Swope facilitated a small Jean Hilton project. We had the pleasure of viewing slides and all the fine examples of Chinese embroidery that Marge Martin and Barb Lewis, plural members from Tucson, had acquired on their trip to China. Camp Cactus Wren was held in August for the fifth time. We hired a bus and traveled to Phoenix to visit the Monet Exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum. Earl Pennington won 12 ribbons at two county fairs. . .and had everyone in stitches (no pun intended) when he showed us all the ribbons. Brenda Hart won First Place with "The Emperor’s Coat" in the Professional category and Margaret von Kuegelgen won Third Place with "Kelp Forest Fish" and Honorable Mention with "Inti" in the Original Category at the ANG National Seminar in Atlanta. Judy Archambeau and Earla Swope are Threaded Treasures III co-chairs. The exhibit will be held in March. In February, we will have Mary Ellen Searcy, ANG National teacher, and our very own member, teaching her "Button, Button #1" design. Several of our members also participated in the current National project of stitching the patches for each of the NASA flights. Our "Feather-in-Your Cap" awards and the Membership book were begun. We also began our "States Name" plaques for Friends in Deed as a Community Project.

In 2000, Margaret von Kuegelgen was elected President. The Board decided to hold "Threaded Treasures" in the winter of 2001 so that it would not be held in the same year as the needlework exhibit in Phoenix at the Shemer Museum. It was a very successful exhibit with over 100 pieces and many members participating. Most of the state names for the Community Project were completed and framed and presented to Friends in Deed at Threaded Treasures. We were fortunate that the Green Valley News photographer was there at the time and took a photograph for the paper! Camp Cactus Wren had 14 attendees. Earl and Norma Pennington planned a one-day stitch retreat and luncheon so that our "snow bird" members would have a chance to go to a one day "camp." Mary Ellen Searcy did a one day workshop in November. Our programs included a an Or Nue lecture by Margaret von Kuegelgen plus a Saturday workshop, book review day, the Great Pumpkin sale, and Phyllis Richardson did two programs on threads and stitches, the Swedish Embroidery group from Sun City gave a lecture on Swedish embroidery. Phyllis Richardson held a "Holiday Open House" for the Chapter instead of a Holiday luncheon. We participated in an Adopt-a –Family program and donated clothing and toys to a family of three and some candy and necessities to three older people. We also designed and purchased a purple tote-bag with the Cactus Wren logo on the side. On the administrative side, Standing Rules were formalized and put in several of the newsletters, a certificate of deposit was purchased, a Teacher’s Bulletin Board will be available at each meeting and the Revised Bylaws were received back from national. Several of our members were selected to exhibit pieces at Tohono Chul fabric arts exhibit. Membership remained at 132.

In 2001, Lynn Browning was elected President. Highlights of the programs for the year included: Rainbow Galleries Saturday Workshop, Ribbon Embroidery video and demonstration, a lecture on Tassels, a Book Review, the Witch Lucynda Workshop, Gold & Shadows II, two one day stitching retreats, one in Tucson and one in Nogales, a lecture, "Evaluating Your Own Needlepoint Canvas", by Barbara May Grass, an Eyeglass Case, a lecture "ANG Seminar", a Bus Trip to the Shemer Needlework Show in Phoenix and finished out the year with a Patio Sale. During the year we also enjoyed our annual Holiday Luncheon, Spring Luncheon and Camp Cactus Wren. In an effort to keep our budget healthy we continued the sale of the Cactus Wren Tote Bags and "recalled" our cookbooks, "Needles and Pans" and resold them. Our Patio Sale consisted of a variety of items donated by members, with the one-day sale held at several homes of members who lived on the same street. We did a very brisk business all day, with a good profit coming into the Chapter. We also initiated a collection called "Tiny Treasures" for a mini-boutique at Threaded Treasures 2003. Members were asked to stitch Christmas ornaments and other small items to be donated to our semi-annual Threaded Treasures show. As of April, 2002, we had collected about 30 items; this program will continue until January 2003, with the show to be held in February 2003. In the area of community service, we stitched two sided butterflies in a variety of patterns and fibers, which were sewn together, stuffed and hung in the common areas of Santa Rita Care Center, and collected canned goods for the Green Valley Community Food Bank. Our Treasurer logged untold hours getting our non-profit status and tax id information cleared through the IRS. Membership remained stable through the year.

President for the year 2002 was Sharon Skoczek. The Board consisted of 5 elected officers and 16 appointed positions, we met 10 times during the year. In mid-term a new secretary was elected due to the illness of the original elected secretary. Membership was logged at approximately 96 primary members, 25 dual members and 3 life Patrons for a total of 124 at the onset of the year. We continued to meet at La Posada Community Room the second Wednesday of the month with a holiday luncheon in December at Green Valley Country Club and a high tea celebration of our 15^th year anniversary as a guild with installation of officers in March at Lavenders. The seventh Camp Cactus Wren was held at the Tubac Golf Resort with about 20 campers. "Threaded Treasures" our bi-annual exhibit was held in February 2003, with the sale of small stitched items to be sold to the public called Tiny Treasures.

Standing Rules passed by the membership. 1.. Teacher payment policy 2. Feather awards policy 3. Needle awards policy 4. Donation to a Scholarship fund in honor of a deceased member (This year we had three such contributions). An Education Fund was created to pay (in whole or in part) the fees that are charged for scheduled educational guild events such as lectures, workshops, demonstrations and teacher fees etc. which do not restrict the number of members who can attend. This would be funded by the profits through the sale of specific items such as the Tiny Treasures at TT, SW booklets, tote bags, chapter pins etc. or other activities with the boards approval.

Accomplishments for the year:

Activities for the year:

An idea to make the monthly meeting day an all guild day was put into motion. We planned to have a program following the business meeting then a "stay for lunch" invitation/ challenge followed by an scheduled afternoon project or a stitch-in. This proved very successful. The year began with a questionnaire to learn members’ talents and interests. From this information the year’s activities, programs and projects were scheduled. Workshops: Silk Ribbon, painting on canvas, making a notebook, and a lecture and workshop on Background stitches (a day with Brenda Hart that was Free to ALL members due to the Educational Fund ). Projects for year: patriotic pin, scissors fob, finishing techniques, silk ribbon embroidery and notebook making with a NP insert are just a few examples.

Meeting day activities and ongoing goals for the chapter: A monthly sign-in attendance, teachers bulletin board, show and tell, opportunity tickets, library display of books, display of upcoming projects all greeted members at the back table. Plus extra newsletters, brochures, coupons etc. were also available. A new policy called ER for Stitchers was begun where advanced stitchers are made available to help with stitching problems of members before and after each meeting. Another new policy was to make kits and materials used for projects available to anyone who could not attend any planned instruction after the event. The feather and needle awards continue, as do the monthly stitch-ins at members’ houses. We held two all day stitch-ins where invitations were extended to Tucson and EGA members. A special needlepoint canvas (a SW Indian) was designed especially for our guild and is an upcoming project. We continue with a monthly newsletter. During the holidays we contribute food items to the community food bank, trim the tree at the Chamber, and donate toys to the tots. We continue to have a storage unit, several CD’s and a safe amount of money in our account. The books were approved in an audit conducted at the end of the year.

National Interaction:

We have stitched several items for the auction at the national seminar and five members are participating in workshop by mail---- the Chottie Alderson " Blackwork Sampler" workshop. We received recognition in the March issue of Needlepointers magazine for our community project, "The States". Our chapter information is also listed on Web site

President for 2003 was Mary Ellen Searcy. Two appointed jobs were added to the board: Keeper of Feathers and Keeper of Records. Membership remained about the same. We are still meeting at La Posada Recreation Room.

The goal this year continued to be to increase the number of people attending meetings and staying for lunch and the afternoon was successful. There were interesting lectures/programs in the morning and a project in the afternoon.

Lectures/programs included Ruth Kern Books, quilter Thelma Smith, Ruth Connors on miniatures, and slide lectures by Libby Sturdy and Francye Farley. Programs/Projects included members sharing/teaching Furry Stitches, Silk Ribbon Flowers, Cross Stitch, Tent Outline, stitching/finishing the SW doll Joaquin, a tool Reticule, Hardanger, Mystery dyeing, and stitching/finishing an Adobe House. We continued with "ER for stitchers". We invited the local Sewing Group to one of our lectures and they reciprocated.

Old books were culled from the library, and new books added. An updated Library List and a Shop Resource list were published. The New Member handout was redone. Dues this year were increased to $45 per year. We began working on collecting the various "decisions" that have been made over the years, to be completed in 2004.

We are a member of the newly formed exploratory committee for "The Creative Center of the Arts in Tucson".

Activities: Monthly afternoon Stitch-Ins were held. Members enjoyed Stitch-Outs at Palo Duro and Rio Rico, Camp Cactus Wren, a Christmas and March luncheon, and a bus trip to The Shemer Needlework Show in Phoenix. A ‘Smashed Pumpkin Sale’ was held. Our Chapter Brochure is available around town. We had a ‘publicity’ table at the fall Country Fair at Continental Shopping Center.

National teachers this year were Francye Farley’s Embellishing a Gemstone, for which a scholarship was given, and Libby Sturdy, who designed a Southwest Bag Lady Stitcher for us. Groundwork was begun for bringing in Joyce Lukomski in February 2005 and Carole Lake in November 2005.

Community Projects: Stitching continued on the four pieces for Casa de Esperanza’s Senior Center. The stitching and framing of the letters and numbers for Casa de Los Ninos del Valle was completed. The first Habitat for Humanities Sampler was presented this year. The Chapter presented Earl Pennington’s donated "Little Boy Fireman" stitched piece to the Fire House. Donations were again made to Food Bank and Toys at Christmas, along with decorating the Christmas Tree at the Chamber.
National: Members stitched miniatures for the Regional Doll House auction, at the 2003 National Seminar. We donated a sampler, stitched by Dolores Pickell, to the auction for 2004 Seminar. The 2006 ANG National Seminar will be held in Tucson.

Fundraisers: Our Southwest booklet was sold out at a good profit. Tote bags are for sale. Stitching on ornaments for a decorated Christmas tree were begun. Chances will be sold at the Country Fair this coming fall. Dolores Pickell has donated a doll house to the Chapter. Members will begin stitching miniatures for the house and then sell chances in 2006. There is a great need for fund raisers in the coming year.

In 2007 Dale Miller was elected President.  This was the year of cleaning up a lot of paper work.  The Standing Rules and By-Laws were long overdue for updating.  Our guild is very fortunate to have Barbara Richardson as one of our members.  Barbara sorted through a stack of paper work and helped to rewrite the Standing Rules with the help of the Board and then presented to the general membership for approval.  She also updated the By-Laws that have been submitted to National and as of this writing have not been returned.  Mary Williams our Membership Chairman spent countless hours revising and creating new forms for the New Members Book.  She also devoted a lot of her time on a problem that I think is something that has affected most chapters and that is how to tell who has paid their dues to national and when.  According to National By Laws, members have to be in good standing (i.e. dues paid) in order to conduct any business on behalf of a chapter such as Nominating Committee or holding a position on the Board.  There is a real need for the information to become easily available to each chapter so the membership person will know on the local level if the member is currently paid.

During this term we have had a lecture by Sharon Crescent of Crescent Colours who started her own thread dying business in her kitchen sink that has become a huge success.  She gave us great insight on how to start your own business and grow it into a success.  We also had a three month continuous project with Mary Ellen Searcy a National Teacher that is also a member of our guild.  She won a number ribbons at Seminar in Tucson in 2006.  She graciously taught us about color, beading and using irregular stitches to imulate a piece similar to the piece she won numerous ribbons for.  Jan Sprague taught u some beautiful Bargello to use as an insert for cards.

We started an ongoing fund raising project of chapter shirts and mini cookbooks.  We also stitched an angel as a Community Project for a tree topper at the Chamber of Commerce in Green Valley.  The tree itself is decorated every year by someone from the Cactus Wrens with stitched ornaments by the members. 

We held or Christmas Luncheon at Grill on the Green and raised monies from Opportunity Baskets.  We also had a Potluck Stitch Out at Friends In Deed and sold threads that had been donated and raised some additional funds.  For our 20^th Anniversary /Birthday, we held the Spring Luncheon at Coyote Grill.  The Board wrapped presents for each member and they were also given a silk flower arrangement for birthday presents.