My Last Pages.....

While in Charlotte last weekend, the five of us that were in the Mixed Media Book RR gathered to give the finished books to their rightful owners. The last book I worked on was Nicki's. The theme was your name basically. I had a bit of an issue coming up with something since my name and story are rather ordinary. I was born Kathleen Darcy, no middle name. I married, thus the Everett, and kept that name when I divorced because it is Melissa and Michael's last name. Jody advised me to just do techniques/design I like and meld my name into it. So, that is what I did! No more block! The top page is a rose tea-dyed vintage hankie with a bit of my birth certificate copied to fabric. The lacy "bug" is a made from a lace piece that Nicki had sent out to some friends to see what we would do with it. Each person's page had a pocket with a tag so I used an old library book pocket and tucked in 3 stamped tags with an account of each of my names.....Kathleen, named after my mother's twin: Darcy, my maiden name; Everett, my kids last name....and I wouldn't change a thing!
My book is waiting for me at UPS, in a box I had shipped from NC. I hastily wrote my address and the man in charge of shipping at the Hilton saw my "8" as a "5". When I retrieve it tomorrow I will get to putting my book together and showing the great work my friends did!

Happy Mother's Day to me! I have great kids. I am very proud of both of them for the young people they have become.

Tuesday my little art quilt group, led by Marylee this month, is going to do an exercise using the technique from the book Serendipity Quilts by Susan Carlson. One of the women from the retreat made a challenge piece using this process. It is awesome. I have permission to show you her "Charlotte's Wilbur". I think she did a great job on him. I can't wait to try this out!

Tomorrow, back to work after 1 1/2 weeks off. I love being home and doing my things. I am never bored.
My next week off  is at the end of July. I get 6 weeks vacation, but 4 of them must be used in weeks. Using days would be so much better for me. I could take days off all year to go to classes and quilt guild meetings. I do take offense at the guilds that meet during the week, during the day! Barring all the wonderfully creative souls working hard for the man! Oh well....

I have learned:

1. Those lost WW pounds I lost, found their way back.
2. So You Think You Can Dance starts again on the 26th! I love that show.
3. Hailey still in American Idol! 
4. How to make these Japanese thimbles, above. Charlyn took time at the retreat to show Lisa and I how to start them. (it's in the shipped box too). They are not hard. I love them! They are meant to be used on your dominant hand, middle finger, between first and second knuckle, to push needle. They are just beautiful.