Five ATCs and Sixteen Things About Myself

I made five felted ATCs for my ATWI20Q group to send out. I started with a long narrow strip of brown felt. I used a bowl full of left over threads, yarns, Angelina fibers and used my embellishing machine and felted them onto the brown felt fabric strip. I did some top free motion sewing on them. I then cut them into five separate business card sized pieces for Artist Trading Card size. I left long threads hanging and used other strips of felt to add to top and bottom of some and put them on the orange wool backing. I backed that with ironed on fusible web to write on and give them firmness. *************************************************************************************** Teri C. invited us to share “Sixteen things” I may not have yet shared? I think I have been an open book but perhaps some of you have not known me long enough to know all this. Here goes: 1. Born to American parents (third generation Californians on mom’s moms’ side), Russian grandparents on both sides. Grandfather came to CA alone at age 16 yrs old. Dad brought home my first cat when I was five years old. The cat lived until I was 19 yrs old! 2. One older brother who was my protector and is still close. He once followed me and a boyfriend around the block and told me to “get into the house right now” when we circled back to my home. 3. Grew up with an alcoholic dad who was a happy drunk, never abusive, but left mom in tears too many times. 4. Played with three little girls in our neighborhood; lots of outside games, bike rides, make believe…I was the runt of that litter and felt picked on a lot, I was skinny and anxious; I am still friends today with one of them. The other two have died. 5. Went to Sunday school and Hebrew school and was Bat Mitzvah at 13.5 yrs. At 16 I read Exodus and had a strong feeling in my heart for Israel. 6. After high school graduation I went to college, but lasted only one semester, wanted to drop out at Thanksgiving but mom said to stick it out. I was a major disappointment to my mother at this time. 7. I went to Berkeley and lived with my brother, who went to the University of California. I got a job at an insurance company as a file clerk, saved my money and a year and half later at age 19 I took off traveling. 8. I spent 3 months traveling in Mexico, and then traveled to the Mediterranean area of Spain, South of France, and Israel. 9. In Israel I met my first husband on the kibbutz where he lived; I did some form of needle work in a class in Israel. In Israel I had many jobs on the kibbutz: field worker, kitchen/laundry helper; cleaned public bathrooms when pregnant; taught English to Israeli 6th graders, worked in the Kindergarten. We married and had our first child there. I had promised I’d stay, but after five years was VERY homesick…toddler son and I went to California (for a vacation)…wrote husband saying I wasn’t coming back, and 3 months later he followed. 10. After one year in Israel first husband and I traveled through Europe to US: Crete, Greece; Venice, Florence, Pisa, Italy; Lucerne, Switzerland; Paris, France; London, England (I may be forgetting some of the cities we visited)… Mostly on money I still had left over from that early job as file clerk in CA. We took a ship, The SS FRANCE, to New York. Stayed with a cousin of mine in New Jersey…saw the sights in NY. Drove a car across country to my parents’ home in California. 11. I worked in a nursery school; then went to community college to study Early Childhood Education and opened a county licensed home run nursery school. My son was 2 yrs old. Two years later I had our second child, my daughter and brought her into the nursery school where she was raised with other toddlers. After 5 years I closed the school and worked for Head Start Nursery School for under privileged children, as head teacher for one year. My husband and I divorced…I was taking college courses a few at a time then. It was in these years that I taught myself to crochet, and sew clothes from old jeans. Shopped in thrift stores from need. 12. I got involved with another man who was not faithful (he left me after five years of living together)… It was in this period that I sewed some clothing for my children & myself to wear. I finished college with a BA in psychology. Several years later in 1978 I met my current husband who I have been with for the past 30 years. We married in 1985 after dating long distance 2 years, then living together five years. I had to make sure he was honorable and he was and IS. 13. I traveled to China with a small group for three weeks in 1984. I took a vacation at Club Med alone in Mexico. I traveled to Hawaii with a girl friend. And I visited my children who were in Israel with their father (daughter 1 year; son 4 years) for a few weeks in 1978. I worked in CA as a biofeedback trainer in a mental health setting. 14. I went back to school and got my Masters Degree in Counseling in 1988. I opened my private counseling practice in 1991 and still do this work today. I have worked with young children, but now focus on those from age 17-adults, and couples. 15. My husband told me in 1992 I should buy a computer. I told him I had no idea why I would need one. I finally gave in and bought an Apple laptop with very little memory. I don’t even remember when I first got on line for anything. Several computers later…four grandchildren later… (I taught myself to knit; and took that prophetic quilting class (2007 July)… 16. And husband’s found – (through –genealogy) -Cousin Kelly sent a post card inviting us to her BLOG (a word neither of us had ever heard of before). My dive into art actually occurred by reading Kelly’s blog and seeing her sketching… finding other’s bloggers and their art, and that quilting class…and the rest is history! I invite you all to also post 16 things about your self, your life, your art, as I want to get to know you better as well. Thanks for tuning in, listening and commenting. I appreciate YOU and enjoy having you in my life. 17. My life has been greatly enhanced since making friends in Blogland.