This year

So far this year, we've had another wedding, and my husband Robert and I went on a short (but sweet) vacation to a doll conference in Ohio. I had classes with elinor peace bailey and Allison Marano.
The wedding was quite a production, but, lovely. It was our second wedding, following two college graduations last year. So, it's been busy (and expensive).
Just one chick at home now. Will I be a depressed empty nester a year from now? Stay tuned.
The doll conference was "Flowers Fairies & Fiber Fancies" sponsored by the Doll Gatherers of Aurora, Ohio.
We stayed in a country inn (named the Aurora Inn) of course. The food was excellent and the rooms were charming. No computer hook-up in the room, so I could add quaint to that description! But, no serious withdrawal from computer use - way too busy!
First night was "The Gala", where we could shop and spend, admire dolls for the competition, and the best part - a lecture with elinor peace bailey, complete with hands-on with her dolls, poetry and of course it wasn't over until "the fat lady sings". I wore a flowery, long summer dress and a flamboyant (for me!) dressy blue garden hat. epb was of course the individual she is, wearing bright colors and the reddest hair I've ever seen!
My first class was epb's The Fairy of It Will Happen Soon Enough. What a hoot! We made the most beautiful flat dolls, then, she had us design our own!
Next day, was Allison Marano's Henley Goes Into the Garden. Henley is a cloth sculptured house gnome. I worked my fingers off getting his nose "okay". I was also exposed to free motion sewing for the first time, which was really coool!!
The second night we had a banquet after class. The food was excellent! I must have gained five pounds! My "door prize" was one of those cool poseable wood manikins that artists use for posing, etc. Always something I've wanted, but, didn't buy for myself.
The third night was the final night (sigh) and we had the chef's special bread pudding with a suger sculpture on top - too rich, even for me! I won a prize basket full of goodies to make an apple dessert and a beautiful porcelain fairy.
Meanwhile, my hubby had worked-out a problem with a program he was tweaking on his laptop, and found time to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland (just a short drive away). I had dinner with him two of the nights and the night of the banquet, he got Chinese food.
More, later!