A Day Spent Making Beads of Courage

 

The January meeting began with a discussion about plans for the coming year and show and tell. After that we moved into Enrichment, where Anne demonstrated how to make polymer beads for "Beads of Courage," an innovative Arts-in-Medicine program with a goal to transform the bedside experience of caring for children and teens with serious illness. Every time a bead is given to a patient, courage is honored, suffering is alleviated, resilience is strengthened, and the experience of human caring is affirmed. Anne donated colorful polymer clay and other Phoebes brought tools and other items to create the beads. We hope Phoebes will continue making beads and take them to meetings so that we can mail them to the program. And a big thank you goes out to Anne for her advice.

. Calendar

The February 14th Phoebe meeting will be at Marcella's. 

The drop-in social and lunch will be from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.  Please bring your own lunch or maybe something to share. We will be celebrating Valentines Day and Marcella's 99th birthday. 

Show and Tell

Suzanne D proudly displayed this quilt top. It is the result of a "round robin" in her quilting group, where it starts with a few pieces and is passed off to another quilter who adds a few more pieces, and then that is repeated until it seems complete. It is a challenge that is not quite completed, but the colors that are being added are absolutely beautiful.

Caroline discovered this lovely fabric on the Phoebe "freebie" table and created this colorful handbag. 

Colleen has been busy creating more amazing art using her latest favorite art techniques. She painted these original watercolors and is saving them in a binder. Each one is so unique.

She is also continuing to create quilts by using strips of fabric and weaving them into blocked shapes. It looks very difficult and demands precision.

She also continues to experiment with melted glass by forming it into interesting shapes. It was so much fun shaping and adding these colors and shapes that it kept growing. It is now considered a shoulder decoration!

Daisy loves to make dolls. She has been experimenting painting them with many coats of paint. She especially loves to dress them and adorn them with accessories. Her Dutch bird has the cutest cap and shoes, as does this brightly colored one that's wearing her pearl necklace. 

Sally has been experimenting with collage prints and grunge designs like the ones on top. Then she decided to make some happier ones!

Since they live close to each other, Barbara, Betts, Bonnie and Sally have been getting together to create art for years. Over that time, they have often given items they made to each other. Bonnie loves to make flat dolls and Barbara and Betts love to make beautiful mermaids and elegant ladies.

Betts has the tattered angel that Bonnie gave her.

Barbara decorated the elegant spools and lovely wands.

Sally made this smiling fish lady.

And Barbara made these fabric, feather and string wands and handed them out at the Christmas party. What amazingly creative ladies and they are constantly challenging us to try new and different things.

 To All the Phoebes

A note from Rosie about La Quinta Dress a Girl

 The photos I am sending are the most recent, having been taken in Puerto Rico by one of my friends. Already this January our group has sent over 300 dresses to either the Philippines, Puerto Rico or Mexico. The photos were taken just last week at a medical mission on a small island just off Puerto Rico where they have no dental or medical services.

We are so pleased that we are gifted so often with material, trims and buttons by the Phoebes. It all is totally appreciated. 

From our hearts, we thank you. Rosie and Anne Tufo