It looks like just a regular box. I stood in line at the Post Office this morning with such anticipation. This box arrived at my doorstep yesterday but I wasn’t home so I had to endure another day of waiting. I wondered, as I waited in line, if the woman working behind the counter could feel my anticipation. I just about grabbed the box right out of her hands. I smiled and said “thanks”. Little did she know what was inside the box that wasn’t just a regular box but held something so near and dear it was almost impossible to contain my excitement.
I had hoped it would arrived before Christmas but no such luck so it will be a Welcome to 2010 gift to a few members of my family and extended family.
When you are asked to be involved in a project that will be published, with photographs of you and your words you are thrilled. You get your contribution done as I laid out in The Paper Dress blog post and then you wait to see the final project completed.
There are 68 women, including me, represented in Meeting In The Ladies Room. Of those 67, I have personally met Jann Arden, Michelle Blau and Dusti Ohland. That leaves 64 other women I have never met face to face but share a book with. Some of these women I chat with regularly so it feels like I know them. They know bits and pieces of what’s going on in my life and we offer support to each other when needed.
To know you are in a book and to contribute to that book is one thing. To see yourself in a book that you are holding in your own hands is rather surreal and overwhelming. The photo to the left is one of my pages. I will leave the other to be discovered by the reader when they purchase their own copy of Meeting In The Ladies Room. This book will make you ask yourself “What do I see when I look in the mirror?” Try to answer that for yourself as honestly as you can. It not as easy as it sounds.
To Linda and Karen thank you for asking me to contribute to your book. I adore you both a ton!
As this book was created along with Pamela Detlor I thank you as well. You should be very proud!! One day we’ll meet and I’ll pass you that coke slurpee I’ve been promising you! You are brilliant!
We decided my wardrobe would consist of a paper dress that I would make to wear. We hit the thrift stores looking for a shell to attach paper too and found a navy blue slip. We figured it would do the trick. Next step, I needed a dress form. Thankfully, I know an amazing seamstress. Tricia was my maid of honor and also the creator of my wedding dress. I remembered she used a dress form all those years ago. I made a quick phone call to Trish and the dress form was mine to use and the excitement was starting to build.
The day of my photo shoot was truly a day I will never forget. It will be etched in my brain until my dying day. Not only was this a fantastic opportunity but it was being done with my childhood best friend. We were giddy like school kids but, as if we could read each others minds, professional to a degree. He had a job to do and so did I.
My big worry throughout the morning was whether or not I would be able to get the dress on. I figured I’d either get it on and would get stuck trying to get it off OR I’d get stuck trying to get it over my shoulders. You don’t have 15 years of gymnastics behind you without having wide shoulders! My shoulders did get in the way but we decided to cut the dress up the side and I’d hold it together throughout the shoot. It worked out fine.
My face tends to show a lot. I often can’t hide how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking as it reads like a book. Glamma managed to capture a classic Kathleen look on my face when I don’t like something. I think this was the time in the photo shoot I was suppose to take a self-portrait.
My darling son is in Grade 1. He has a teacher who is big on kids learning to read and not so big on kids creating art. When they do create their masterpieces they are sent home rapidly! Because of this, Matthew is a great reader and his printing is spectacular.
The kids had to do up a letter to Santa in class. Matthew decorated his brilliantly and I praised him for how perfect his printing is and for how lovely it looked. Then I read it. It says:
December 2, 1970 brought ME into this world. It is my last year before I turn 40. I’m not fond of odd numbered years and, because of this, I always round up. If asked, I shall say I’m either 40 next year or I’m in my 40th year! Fun! Sooooo, what’s a birthday without gifts?
Her concert was last Wednesday and I took the always fun 
After talking to a friend of mine who is a good friend of Jann’s it was decided I would make Jann a sketch book. She is an artist as well as a singer/songwriter. It would be perfect for her art or if she wanted to write. I took a photo of hubby’s guitar and then turned it hot pink, I tore out words from paper that I knew would be meaningful to Jann as well as other scrapbook style paper. My dream was to give it to her in person. I tried to win tickets to the Meet & Greet she was having but didn’t. I knew Michelle & Dusti were meeting with Jann after the concert so I asked Michelle if she could give the book to Jann on my behalf. She said sure but wanted me to realize my dream of giving it to her in person. So…after the concert, Michelle and Dusti told Glamma and I not to leave they were going to ask if we could come back with them. Two minutes later my cell phone rang and the answer was “YES” and I do believe I peed a little with excitement. I composed myself and tried not to giggle as I tend to do when I get really excited and nervous. There she was sitting casually in a cozy chair tired from her amazing performance. We were introduced and although Glamma had not met her either she had heard a lot about him from our mutual friend and also knew of me. I handed her her gift and she knew all about the books I made through our Twitter connection. She was so genuine when she opened it, so thrilled it made me feel so good. My nervousness completely dissipated after meeting her as her presence is full of warmth. As she is funny on stage, she is funny in person too! Glamma, who knows me
so well, knew I must have that photo but would NEVER ask for it offered up the idea. There was no hesitation from Jann, she just grabbed me and hugged me as if she’d known me for years.
Patricia got allllll her stuff set up and by the time she finished we knew Suzannah obviously liked living on the edge and would show us her goods on Saturday – at least we were reallly hoping she would. Saturday morning came, we all arrived and so did Suzannah at 10:05. We were starting to fret but I’d had an email from her at 1:30 a.m. and it told me she was busy sewing and would be there. It was a good thing she arrived when she did and her set up was as easy as opening a magic bag of tricks. We un-folded the table she brought and poof all the stuff appeared on it like magic which was great because the doorbell went at 10:45. Of course I yelled, “NO early birds this isn’t a fucking garage sale” and thank goodness it was our first customer who was also family to Patricia! Gotta love family…well some of them! 11:00 a.m. chimed and the doors opened to a steady stream of wonderful people. 
Saturday is approaching quickly ~ it seems like so long ago now when the idea of an Open House was first thought of. It just goes to show how fast time passes and how much still needs to be done in a few short days. The cool thing, we got the Open House in the local paper. The shitty thing, our entire neighbourhood didn’t get the paper that day or EVER! What the hell’s with that? The one time I want the damn paper for something other than lining the kitty litter box the fucking thing doesn’t show up! Grrrrr The good thing, Patricia got her’s and texted me at 11:30 p.m. in all caps that we made it in. I was thrilled. She showed me her copy and immediately I obsessed and was pissed off that they screwed up my wording and called my books “scrapbook style journals” instead of “arty type journals created using scrapbook style paper…..” THEN I noticed it…the picture. One of my very favorite journals I’ve made was put right at the top announcing our Open House. That No Exit sign, sits on our property so when you drive on up…you’ll know you’re at the right place!
ers. Who knew she had this talent for making little people with those things, certainly not me! Anyway, here they are…from her favorite movie Coraline.
Life has been good to me. I am pleased to announce that all my journals have been accepted to the Places des Arts Christmas Boutique which will run from November 12-December 18. All journals submitted will be on display and for sale at this time.
There is nothing I enjoy more than a run in the rain on a fall day, especially when the leaves are just starting to hit the ground. We have been so lucky with our weather these past few months. Summer seemed to last forever and fall, so far, as been good to us and the trees have turned some amazing colors. When you run in th
re FIERCE and make you work your ass off BUT they are also all extremely kind and funny…very funny! I love the fact that it allows me to utilize my many years of gymnastics training. Those who knew me in my gymnastic years would know that my favorite event was beam. Why, I’m not sure but I think it had something to do with the challenge it took to stay on and the fact that most people found it boring to watch and psychologically I’d know I wasn’t the gymnast being watched. I feel like that person I once was when I’m in a yoga class, my legs tight, toes pointed, reaching for the ceiling, eyes focused on a spot on the floor or mirror ahead with sweat pouring off body parts I never thought it possible to sweat. My flexibility and balance are returning but what I love most is knowing, at the end of the class, I not only worked my ass off but I found that place of calm within and am more focused and energized.
My Grandma’s 90th birthday was on the weekend. The 
