Image Up Advertising & Design

SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JANUARY 2021 7 By Clare Mendez, Resident When Susie DeBicki was 12 years old, her mother taught her to knit. Within two years she discovered that she preferred to work with a crochet hook. Thus began her love for fiber arts. One of her first jobs, and her favorite, was when she worked at a community center in Costa Mesa teaching arts and crafts to children. After that she worked with a macramé wholesaler working in a booth at trade shows. She was taught how to make macramé wall hangings, window coverings and more. Susie said she must've had 100 books on the subject. As a mother she had less time to devote to her crocheting so she put it on hold for a while, but she found time to do some sewing for her kids. It wasn't until she retired that she was able to devote her time once again to sewing, crocheting and working on various other crafts. When Susie came to Hemet in search of a new home, the sales representative for Solera Diamond Valley told her there was a quilting and a knitting club at the Lodge. That sealed the deal. Susie is now a member of both the Chicks with Sticks Club and the Quilting Club at SDV. She enjoys sitting with other ladies talking and sharing while working on her project. And, she said, it's rewarding to crochet hats for premature babies (which is one of the projects of the Chicks with Sticks Club). The Quilting Club donates quilts to Veterans and a Child Help program. Susie also has a passion for travel and has been on several cruises. On each cruise, it seems, she found time to crochet or shop at yarn stores. On one trip to New Zealand, she joked about the "mobile yarn stores" there (aka sheep). She brings a new yarn stash home from each trip and later, when she creates a new piece with her yarn, she can reminisce about where it came from and recall the fun times she had on those trips. It's from her yarn stash that she created a colorful mandala which she calls her "COVID project." Each row of the mandala is a different stitch and color combination. She found the tutorial for this on YouTube. If you are interested in taking a look at it or giving it a try, it is called Mandala Madness Crochet Pattern. Her home is a reflection of her love of art. On one wall she proudly pointed out a petit-point embroidery picture her mother made. There are beaded sun catchers she strung together, painted rocks on her counter top, colored glass paper weights, and several seasonal crafts displayed, hung, or draped throughout her home. It is truly an art filled-home. And, with a quick glance you can see a basket of yarn skeins by her chair waiting for the next inspiration to spark. By Clare Mendez, Resident Recently some friends of ours moved out of SDV. Both are in their 80s. Good gracious, the thought of packing up a lifetime of stuff and moving it is exhausting. A couple of times my husband and I asked if we could help them pack up (which we and other friends and neighbors did) and still, on the day the new owners were to take possession of their house, they had so much more to go through, toss, give away, and pack up. I'm not saying our friends procrastinated with their packing. The house sold quicker than expected, and they just did not anticipate the huge task ahead of them and how grueling it is to move. Many of us have adopted an attitude that asking for help is a bad thing. We celebrate individuals who manage a "do it yourself " attitude taking on more than we can handle. Not so. Asking for help allows us to focus on our strengths and not our weaknesses. Although we'd like to believe we are superhuman, none of us is good at everything or able to handle everything on our own. How to ask for help is crucial in getting past fear and increasing the chance of a positive response. Whether you just need someone to listen to you or you want someone to help with a task, don't expect the other person to be a mind reader. It is truly important to be clear, concise, and direct about your expectations so the person has a full understanding of your needs. Be open. Explain why you are seeking help. This gives others a deeper understanding of your circumstances and makes one inclined to say "Yes, I can help." Even if the job isn't as perfect as you hoped. The act of helping is a loving and thoughtful way for your friends to say they respect and cherish your friendship. With that said, I could use some help cleaning out my refrigerator. Just joking. We're eating our way through it. It should be empty by the time this virus is contained. The Art-Filled Home S.O.S.

• Cover