Fibermania

Booked for Coffee

This is a picture of my friend Ann Poe, in a book she made herself. We met for coffee at a Panera in Crystal Lake IL (next town down the road from me) and chatted for HOURS. We philos'ed about life and art, relationships, stepping back and grabbing the reins of our lives. It was a thrilling and touching morning. Then when we thought we had exhausted these topics, Ann brought out show and tell. Panera makes it so easy to share artwork, and it happens whenever I go there to meet friends. Plus they cleaned our table mid sip.

Ann took a workshop on making handmade books from reknowned book artist Daniel Essig.

I had no idea she had gotten so deep into this art work and was bowled over by the samples she brought to show me. These are 'only her first attempts' having made these many times over and given the new ones away! Where was I for these donations???

Each piece has a distinct personality and is made from oddments of paper stuff, with stamping and coloring and collage.

The bindings are hand stitched in various ways, ever so elegantly.

I shrieked when I recognized these covers made from polymer clay. I love this stuff and have all the supplies already, untouched by human hands...Guilt!

The papers were calling my name too, as these would make wonderful sketchbooks. If I could bring myself to draw on the pristine whiteness of the paper.


There were wooden books, and paper aerial map books, fancy folded papers and copper screen with pictures and things grommetted in place. Ribbons and doodads abounded.

I want of these all.

Ann has also written a serious book on taking care of elderly relatives (under a pseudonym.) But for all these years, I have always thought of her as a quilter. We met around 1989 when I started looking for ways to earn a living in quilting, and she was president of the local sewing guild. Ah how green I was then. We continued to meet up away from home at quilt venues like QSDS and such and she knows all the people I know so it is always great to connect.

It was Ann that got me on roller blades. She is five or six years older ( but who's counting?) and had already been a roller blader so I thought, "if she can do it, I guess I can too" and I am so glad I did.