so allow me to start at the beginning.
The Pink Doxies blog started on a whim one
day, and carried me along for months. It was
a slow and easy ride. The start of 2015 found
me navigating some rapids. I loved the speed,
and the need to think about my direction, but I
had no map or idea what laid ahead. Suddenly
I had good readership, but now I was
responsible for delivering solid content and
unique projects. People were asking if I
sold the things I was making. Did I? It became
a bit overwhelming making choices
that had so many consequences. Did I
want to paddle my boat in the small pond off
that river, or would I rather take my chance
to see where the current might take me?
That may have been an easy choice for you, but
I agonized over this decision for months.
What did I want for ME?
We who live for years putting the
concerns of our family first rarely ever
have the option of asking what we want
for ourselves. I was definitely out of practice.
A friend called me about a retreat she saw
online with Amy Butler and Hilde Dunn. She
said it sounded wonderful, and by some odd
luck she got in. By the time I checked it out,
that wasn't the case for me. They were
definitely full. I got on the email list, and
resigned myself to thinking about a time next
fall when there would be another. Oh, well.
I wasn't crushed--just in a funk then. I had
felt like I was supposed to be there.
The afternoon before the retreat I got a
call saying there was a spot if I could make
it. Someone had missed a flight. I scrambled
to make it all work, and could barely sleep the
night before. I was out the door the next morning
driving the 1:15 to get there early.
I really didn't know what to expect.
This was a combination retreat. Life coaching
by Hilde Dunn using the Handel method was
one part. We met in here for long sessions.
We listened, we shared, and we journaled.
This was a soul-seaching journey that each
person applied individually to her life. We
passed the tissue box, and felt safe to share.
And then on to improv piecing with Amy.
We gathered here, and sewed together.
Even those with no previous sewing
experience pieced together their own
masterpieces. There was no pattern to follow
meaning we couldn't mess it up. It freed us
up to talk, and, Oh, the stories we told!
I believe this was a magical gathering, so
to speak, of people who all felt compelled
to be there for different reasons. We
felt a deep, pulsing energy among us,
and that's what I'll remember most.
We each brought fabric from our lives,
and we combined it together for communal
use. Amy added scraps of her own. The rule
was to piece using fabrics chosen for
you blindly by a partner, but there were some
fierce and secretive deals made at the
cutting and ironing table when no one
was looking! Don't tell, but I think
Amy was doing the same thing!
We met at the Granville Studio of Visual Arts
in Granville, Ohio. It was the ultimate space for
the venue. GSVA is a non-profit center for art
education, and also offers the Orange Couch
program for kids online. It's SO cool! Check them out.
Over the course of a few days, our blocks
gained dimension. We shared our process, and
Amy shared positive thoughts.
Lunches were catered, and even those of us
with food sensitivities were accomodated,
thank you so very much. Dinner with wine
was provided Saturday evening, and then
we had a loud session of decoupage.
Did I say loud?
Things were getting a little crazy, as you can see,
but it was a wonderful, Good kind of crazy.
This is Amy playing in the fabrics again!
I've purposely kept private some of the
activities we shared like dinner in downtown
Granville. We were all instant friends,
Creatives, and inclusive of all.
Also, we visited the Butler's home and studio on
Friday evening. It was so lovely, and I'm grateful
Amy shared her home and evening with us.
There were 4 sweet cats that could sense how
allergic I was, and wanted dearly to be near me.
I wiped my eyes in between listening
to her talk about her design process, and seeing
the rolls of fabric for her new line coming to
stores in the fall. (It's gorgeous!) It was a memorable
evening for me in spite of the kitties.
So after the decoupage on Saturday night, I
packed up my delicious goody bag, and said my
farewells. There was still another day left, but
my cup was already full, and my direction so
clear. My Dream was written, and I was ready to
take the journey to make it Real. That's what
Dreaming in Color is all about.
If you ask me if I would do it all over again,
in spite of the fact that I left early,
I would tell you...
in a Heartbeat.
This was a life changing weekend for
me, and thank you to everyone there
for just being who you were.
Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.
Linking up with~
Freemotion by the River
Sew Cute at Blossom Heart Quilts
Quilt Story
Handmade Tuesdays
TOO Cute Tuesday
She Can Quilt Scraptastic Tuesday
Show and Tell Monday with Bambi
ayliN-Nilya: Monday Makers
Making Monday
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts