A Feat of Engineering

That is how I describe the project we did with Kathy Files on our last full day in Key Largo.  Kathy has a very popular blog and website called Paper Phenomenon.  She creates all sorts of dimensional projects....albums, shadow boxes, suitcases, purses, etc.....all with an ulterior motive.  Inside might be drawers to hold treasures, pages for scrapbooking, files, envelopes.....you get the idea.   Elena has been a fan for the longest time, and asked Kathy to create something for us to use to hold all our Mail Love.  I mentioned Mail Love ages ago.  Another one of Elena's brainstorms.  In this age of texting, tweeting, emails, etc., how many of us actually get anything nice in our snail mail?  Elena proposed we send one another something at least once a month, and as there were 19 who signed up for this, we all have a pretty big stack of cards, tags, magazine articles, bookmarks, calendar pages, charms, etc.  So, here is the sample that Kathy presented:

It looks like an antique hutch that you might find atop a desk.  All paper and chipboard.  Amazing, huh? And those "drawers?"  Check them out:

They are actually stand alone albums, containing file folders, envelopes, pockets....all designed to hold our Mail Love treasures.

OK, now that you've seen Kathy's fab work, let me tell you my sad tale of woe.  I admire this sort of thing, but it honestly isn't MY thing.  So, all that assembling doesn't exactly come naturally to me.  Also, we started working at about 9AM and it was well into the night when most of us just had to stop and clean up and pack.  I did finish most of the work on my three albums, but still have to make the box they all go in, and do the finishing touches on the insides of the albums.   Here is what I have to show for myself:

The largest of the three albums, above, opens up to reveal files, perfect for holding cards and tags.   I still have to decorate the tops of the files.  Well, I guess I don't HAVE to, but looking at Kathy's finished piece, I kind of feel I should. 

One of the smaller albums, which opens up to reveal a smaller set of files:

The other small album has two inserts inside, one of envelopes, the other of pockets:

The rest of my unassembled pieces, as well as the rest of the scrapbook paper we used are in the box I left for Elena to ship to me, so it may be a while before I can even consider finishing this.  As neither Pat nor Teri finished theirs either, we plan to get together, and hopefully between the three of us we'll understand how to put the box together.

So, another fantastic Keys4Art comes to an end.  Here's the whole gang (well, minus Kathy, who was probably off somewhere cutting chipboard):

Front row:  Marita, Linda, Jen W-L, Patty, Karen, Gina

Back row:  Val,Teri, Me, Lillian, Sue, Lynne Perrella herself!, Jacquie, Jen R-D, Elena, Daisy, Pat

OK, one more picture.  One of Elena's pups, by the name of Lucky, was wildly attracted to Teri, and could often be found curled up on her air mattress.  Usually on top of her sweater.

Back Home!

Why is it that the events you most look forward to end so quickly?  Keys4Art2012 is over, and that is a little bit sad, but I have to say, I am still feeling the warmth of friendship, and believe it or not, I am still relaxed.

I flew to Miami with Pat and Teri, and we think our pilot was in a rush for a hook up, because we landed almost an hour early.  We met up with Daisy at the baggage carousel, then headed for Chili's where we'd spend the next MANY hours, waiting for the others to arrive.  Several quesadillas and margaritas later, we piled into a van and headed for Elena's home in Key Largo.  Elena stayed behind to wait for the two latest arrivals, Val and Jen.

No photos to post of our first night together.  I wound up with so much stuff, I had to pack a lot into a box for Elena to ship, and some of the projects and gifts are in that box, but this is what things looked like the next day:

Daisy, Jen and Jacquie

Working on our postcard project:

When I first met Karen at the airport, I thought she

was a little bit nuts for bringing so many suitcases,

but now I know better.  One was entirely filled with

treats from Louisiana.  Today we got cajun chips.

We didn't have anything special planned for day one, so

I had time to make the covers for my postcard book.

I slept on the couch.  Right next to me were Teri and Pat

on air mattresses, and all the way on the other side of the

room was Daisy on a matching couch.  We were right next

to the room we worked in.

A view of the room from the other end.

Here's Pat with her smash book, one of many gifts

awaiting us.  When my box arrives I'll be able to

post pictures of all of them.  We were very very spoiled.

My Oregon art sisters, Marita and Gina:

Pardon the fuzzy photo; this is a little travel journal,one of many
gifts waiting for us from Elena.  She purchased them from Tim, and
the kits include a miniature suitcase that the journals fit into perfectly.
Mario sent along a special gift from him:  Tim Holtz aprons for
everyone!

Because we had so many people coming this year (17), we had some overflow staying at a fabulous beach house, thanks to one of Jacquie's clients.  While Elena and Teri went to Miami to pick up Lynne Perrella at the airport (more on that later), the rest of us headed to the beach house in the late afternoon to get dinner ready.

Jacquie was going to make paella, and I couldn't believe the size of the pan.  We helped with the prep work, and I have to say, it was the first time I dealt with a recipe that called for 16 cups of rice and 2 gallons of chicken broth, not to mention similar huge quantities of vegetables, chicken, sausage, shrimp, lobster, clams, mussels, and crab legs.

The view from the deck:

Do you believe the size of the paella pan?

The house as seen from the water's edge:

Most definitely the best paella I've ever had.

Bernie (Elena's husband), cracking the crab legs:

The next day we began our 2 day workshop with Lynne Perrella.  Fantastic!  And to be continued....