Dreams and Purpose

I have written a series of children's stories. The stories are sweet stories about the friendship between a little dog and a boat captain. Why on earth I decided to do the illustrations, I don't know, but it is my goal, my dream. Just today I heard something that struck me, "Your dreams are a part of your purpose." So, is this my purpose? Maybe for now it is.

Last year I received a card from the Art Institute of Chicago that listed the classes they would be offering for the summer. To my surprise, they were offering a class on Children's Book Illustration. Just what I had been looking for, so I signed up. It was a bit of a disaster for me. The first day of the class, everyone introduced themselves and talked about their experience and education. I was immediately intimadated and from that moment on, I couldn't draw. I tried and tried and everything I did was horrible. In that class I met a wonderful woman, an artist, and she told me that she was going to have a class at Lurie Gardens in Millineum Park. Here I was, unable to draw and yet I agreed to sign up for the class. Throughout the 4 weeks of the class, I struggled. She then told me that I could take an extention at the Botanical Gardens. Once again, I agreed, while all along I was thinking that I must be crazy. Thankfully, I took the extention because it was then that I had a break through. We were in the greenhouse on a rainy day and I decided to draw the elephant ear leaves in the picture above. I drew, I erased, I drew, I erased, on and on. Michele came by to check on me, looked down and saw my empty paper. I immediately told her that I had been drawing, but I had also been erasing. She sat down and worked through a quick sketch. When I saw what she drew, I thought, "that's what I have been erasing!" She left me to work and when she returned, she couldn't believe what I had done. I too was so proud. The above photo of my drawing is my finished piece. I am so proud.

What I came to realize was that I was dealing with something that has haunted me since I was in the 4th grade. We had just moved to Waynesboro, MS. The school had an art competition. The piece I did was fine, but I didn't think it was all that good. To my surprise, I won 3rd place. My parents were so proud. The following year there was another competition which I also entered. That year I decided to try something a little different. It didn't turn out all that well, but I tried. Needless to say, I didn't receive an award. When my parents saw my piece, they told me that I had embarrassed them. I was devastated. I stopped drawing.

Now here is what is really interesting, my father is an incredible artist. He could have helped me, but what he chose to do was break my spirit.

Why this all came up for me at this point in my life, I don't know. As much as I have struggled over the past nine months, I have to admit that in the end I am so very glad that I have persevered. The end product has been worth the struggle. I am now working on the illustrations for my first story. I'm still struggling, but each drawing is a little easier.

I keep journals where I write down whatever has meaning to me. I may read something in a magazine, see something on a billboard or even overhear something someone says. If it is something that speaks to me, I jot it down on a scrap of paper and then later put it in one of my journals where I can refer back to it as often as I like. There's a saying that I think is rather fitting for what I have just written,

If you no longer have dreams, you no longer have a life.

I want to dream for as long as I can.

All God's Children

This past week I had a wonderful couple of days. On Monday I left Midway and flew down to Joliet where I picked up a beautiful bird dog, Sassy. She had been in the Chicago area receiving medical treatment. From Joliet, Sassy and I flew down to Springfield, IL where she would be able to finish her meds and do some physical therapy and hopefully get ready to be adopted. Such a beautiful dog.

Some very good friends live near Springfield and I am the Godmother to their youngest child. They had time in their schedule to host me for the evening, so I stayed overnight. It was such a delight to spend time with the family.

During the afternoon, we went out and picked fresh aspharagus to have with our dinner. It was incredible. I've never tasted anything so good. Dinner was such fun. I enjoyed listening to the boys as they told about their day at school. Their oldest son invited me to come along to his choir practice at church later that evening. I think children's voices are like the sound of angels. After choir practice, we all went for an evening walk. Everyone talked and shared. After we returned home, I was ready for bed. As soon as I hit the pillow, I was out.

The next morning I got in the plane and flew down to Springfield, MO. It was a beautiful flight, smooth,bright blue skies. When I landed the winds were gusty, but I wasn't worried as the flight there had been so smooth. In Missouri I picked up 6 puppies that needed to go to Appleton, WI. They were just so sweet.

As usual, I wanted all of them. Within 45 minutes, the puppies were loaded, I had fuel and was ready to go. On my climb out the turbulance was horrible, but I wasn't worried as it had been such a smooth flight down. So I climbed, and climbed, no relief. I bounced all the was back to Gary. I've never had a flight quite like this one. It was a matter of just holding on. I am always very diligent about knowing where I am on the charts at any given time, but that day, I just prayed that the GPS would not fail as I didn't want to let go of the yoke to look at my charts. The only thing that I did manage to do was put in the VORs along the way. So at least I had a little back up in case the GPS did go out. The minutes seemed like hours, but finally I was able to get the information for Gary. The winds were very strong and very gusty. Gary was landing runway 20 and the winds were moving from 180 to 250, not directly down the runway. After 3 1/2 hours of bouncing all over the sky, I was so very tired. At that point I said a prayer and asked for a favor, please let the wind be down the runway when I land. I was cleared to land and as I was turning base to final, the controller said that the winds were 200 at 26 gusting to 32. My prayer was answered, the wind was right down the runway. I said a very big "Thank You Lord!!" and landed with ease.

As I pulled up to the Jet Center, the pilot that was meeting me to take the puppies on to Appleton came running out. He had been so worried about me. His first question was, "How are you?" My answer, "I'm tired." He said, "I'm sure you are, you've been kicked for the last 3 1/2 hours."

The puppies had done everything in the cages, peed, pooped and thrown up. I don't blame them, I felt like doing the same thing! Dennis, one of the line guys at Gary brought out some plastic gloves so that we could transfer the puppies. Warren, the pilot who was taking them on to Appleton said that he was flying back to Kenosha and then putting them in the car and driving to Appleton. He called at 7:15 that evening and said that they had made it and all was well. But, my day wasn't over yet as I still had to go to Midway. The winds were every bit as strong there, but were only one degree off the runway heading. No problem.

I have a Harry Chapin CD where he talks about being tired and being good and tired. The days that we are tired are the days that we have spent fulfilling someone else's dream. The days that we are good and tired are the days that we spend fulfilling our own dreams. This was a good and tired day. Yes, I was exhausted, but I had spent my day doing something I love doing, I had made a difference in the lives of some of God's most precious creatures. It's on days like this that I get to be an angel. How could I ask for more?

A Gothic Prarie?

I fell in love with this fabric when I first saw it a year or so ago. The Needle Shop was having a sale to introduce costumers to their new space, so I thought I would go and check it out. I bought the fabric with no idea of what I would like to do with it, I just loved it. Once I got it home, I decided to do a skirt with a pleat down the back that I would lace closed, but leave it open enough for walking ability. The Needle shop was having another sale a month or so ago, so of course I had to check it out. While I was there I found a remnant of the same fabric and this bag pattern from Amy Butler. I put it together earlier this week, and I am in love with this bag.

It's fairly easy to put together. What I do like about the Amy Butler patterns is that she assumes that you know very little about sewing, so every step is explained quite well. What I found is that if you follow the instructions, your bag will turn out just like the picture. I did make a couple of changes, I decided to use an invisible zipper instead of the one that the pattern called for and I omitted the plastic from the bottom of the bag and have decided to attach purse feet instead. I think it gives the bag a much more professional look. I also used chip board inside the bag to give the bottom a much more solid feel. You can get chip board at an art suppy store. It comes in two different weights. I used the lighter weight. Just measure the bottom of your bag, and then cut the chip board and put it in the bottom of your bag.

Until I started working on the fabric, I only new that I liked it, and then I saw the name of the fabric on the selvage edge, "Prarie Gothic." At first I thought, what a strange name and then as I looked at the fabric, I realized why the artist chose this name. All the images in the fabric are from the prarie, spyders, thistles, moths. And then the goth has to do with the colors that were chosen. It's really a great piece of fabric.

If you're interested in some great cottons, take a trip over to the Needle Shop. They are located at 2054 W. Charleston. Charleston is south of Fullerton. Charleston is a one-way street going west off of Damen. There cottons are fun and funky. They also have decorator width fabrics for the home. If you do make the trip over, check out Soutache which is on Damen. She has the most wonderful shop. It's truly a delight, ribbons, ribbons, and ribbons. She is also carrying a great suppy of buttons. I found the absolute perfect vintage buttons for an outfit that I did last year. You can also take a class and learn to make these beautiful flower pins.

I made these last year and I find that they look great on so many things. The orange and yellow one I wear on an orange coat that I made and the pin looks like I have a little bit of sunshine on my chest.

Chicago is such a wonderful place to live and we have such wonderful resources for our creativity, but the only way we are going to continue to have these resources is if we support the retailers. So get out and enjoy the resources we have available to us.

The Best Sunday

I was recently asked how long I have been flying. I had to think, and then I realized that it has been 16 years since I earned my private rating. Incredible! What a ride it has been.
When I first started flying, I couldn't even find grass on the ground. Now, many ratings and lots of hours later, I must say, it's as natural for me to fly as it is to eat. It's a part of who I am. I can't imagine my life if flying had not been a part of what I do.
Last Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to fly 9 little puppies from Indianappolis back to Gary where they were picked up and taken to their destination, Appleton ,WI. They had been in a high kill shelter in Kentucky. I've flown dog rescue for a number of years now, and it is always wonderful.
My dear friend, Randy flew along on this trip. I met him when he was only 8 years old. Without a doubt, he is a genius. I was so impressed when he completely replumbed a bathroom at 9 years old, and I've been impressed ever since. He's now 21 and works on my airplane. He and his older brother have for some reason decided to adopt me. If there is anything I need, they're there. I feel so very blessed. Why they care so much about me, I really don't know, but I am forever grateful. And I am grateful that their parents are so generous in sharing their sons with me.
So, my best Sunday, flying, spending time with Randy and giving nine of God's creatures a second chance. Such a sweet life.