stream to river to ocean

sometimes synchronicity or connection just occurs: 
i got an email
asking me for a sheet of printed paper,
warm colors and fairy wings
were what gabby was thinking about
(this IS my kind of order!)
and last night she sent me a little link.
you should go there.
gabby is finishing up the rigorous two year course at
north bennet street school, studying binding
and aiming to be a designer bookbinder.
 my first bookbinding teacher was a total surprise
someone i met in the tiny IGA in star lake
the late sally smith
 renown designer bookbinder
spent several hours with me
helping me make my first hardback book.
sally worked wonders in leather
and taught in london.
gabby is following a similar path.
meanwhile fiber has always lead me
to new and startling adventures
as did jean
who knows all about the difference one small stitch
can make
my three melbourne books,
oz books, 1, 2 & 3
~~~
i am so hoping htat
this class with dorothy caldwell
at lovely longridge farm
will deepen my making into work that is richer
than i have dared go before.
why else do it?
to gabby and to jean,
thank you. 
this week i have been playing
with a few pieces of kozo graciously given to me
by nancy jacobi at the japanese paper place.
interesting results, and GOOD learning.
mixed in with tim ely's teaching.
seeing what these papers and plants and waters and pigments
will teach me
is enough to keep my brain dancing
as i sort it out and push myself forward.
this is good work for spring.
~~~
then there is a little rest
and then off i go to the morgan
to teach two classes, one a new one
four days with aimee lee and me, laughing and playing and working and making fiber/paper/textiles.

if…..

if your birthday
and thanksgiving
and hanukkah
are all the same day
i guess it's ok
to travel to toronto
to spend thanksgiving break away,
avoid buy nothing day
and come home on saturday
having
visited with two of the most amazing women in the world
aimee and wendy,
eaten a meal with paper people*
visited the ontario college of art and design
met amos kennedy (read his name with gusto and delight)
visited the japanese paper place
and wonderful nancy
eaten delicious soups and pesto
with dandelion and beet greens
walked in a city that's friendly and beautiful
visited soma (read with a sigh)
and looked at inuit art.
anyway,
that's what i did.
visiting the wendy/velma book
currently holding holy water! 
the prints
(i made one like this) 
amos hard at play 
aimee looking at prints that amos brought
for the ocad book arts fair.
we were a little disappointed that the textile museum
was between exhibitions, 
but we did find a quiet hidey-hole
to strip off some extra winter layers
so aimee could breathe.
and i found some friendly bones.