home again

Today's flight home took off a few minutes early from Detroit and got into Newark 1/2 hour early. Of course, it took 1/2 hour for the luggage to come so it was rather a wash, but I am in my chair, feet up, having had food and drink; feeling relaxed. Sunday's Class Soy wax class yesterday was the usual fun. For a variety of reasons, we worked with paint instead of dye but many of the people are dyers and will work with dyes at home. Yesterday's classroom was in a chemistry lab so there were plenty of outlets(we didn't blow a single fuse with all the irons and wax pots) and sinks. It's always fun to put faces to on-line "voices" and I was delighted to find out that Lynn Krawczyk had signed up for this class! Linda had some great things to stamp with and everybody was borrowing some of her goodies.The biggest hits were these two guys and I think the chicken feet took first place for funniest thing to stamp with. June stamped with an aluminum ashtray on which she had constructed a handle. Here's the wax stamped onto the fabric. and here, after she had applied the paint, dried the cloth and ironed out the first of the wax. This is Gertraud's patchwork wax piece - a different, more structured approach than her others. As usual, the variety was staggering and I can't remember at the moment who created what - but all the pieces were wonderful. There were so many others that I couldn't photograph all of them. I asked the class to send me pix of their pieces after they've been ironed/washed/ironed. A Plea for Help Before I sign off, I have to put in a plug for the ALS Quilt Raffle that Dawn Goldsmith of Subversive Stitchers is spearheading. Her husband has ALS - an incurable wasting disease that is simply heartbreaking. I have lost a member of my extended family, a friend of my mother's, and a young man who was the son of someone who worked with Marty. I am asking you as a personal favor to join me in contributing to desperately needed research for this devastating disease by purchasing quilt raffle tickets from the Florida ALS Association. They are in the last week of this quilt raffle and have only raised $455 out of their goal of $1,000. There were some problems with the ALS site where tickets are being sold; I persisted and was successful, but if you have problems with it, please donate by mail or phone to help save lives from this disease that has no cure. Here is the information if you want to donate by phone. Patti Palmer Events Coordinator The ALS Association Florida Chapter 3242 Parkside Center Circle Tampa, FL 33619 Ph: 813-637-9000 Ext. 111 Fx: 813-637-9010 Cell: 813-205-5566 Toll Free: 888-257-1717 Ext. 111 Thanks in advance for your generosity! Now I am going to read. I started "The Help" on the plane and can't put it down.