And then I made....

Now that I've been going to Great Escape, I have more confidence in myself as a creative, even an artistic person.  Whether I have learned a skill at GE itself, or learned something new in order to present it at a GE workshop, the satisfaction of being able to make something out of nothing - almost nothing - has been a reason, for me, to keep the weekend of GE free from other engagements so I can go and learn and do.

In that spirit, here's something I made the other day.  A leaf torn from a book, a bit of paper bag, a piece of scrapbook paper, some raffia that another GS leader passed on and a candle from the dollar store becomes a Christmas present for a beloved friend, the director of my handbell choir.  Although I didn't spend much money on this, I spent time thinking, measuring, cutting (with the wonderful Fiskars cutter I first saw used by Sue at GE) gluing, decoupaging, glazing the branch (which I found many years ago and have treasured ever since) tying the raffia, and making a matching gift tag that says, "with love."    Those two words express the spirit of GE - there's a real present for you!