Dreaming from the Journal Page Give Away+

Dreaming from the Journal Page is a pretty snazzy book, if I do say so myself. North Light was very gracious to me when they heard I had been diagnosed with cancer and rather than flying me to home base to have step out photographs taken, they hired a photographer to come to me. Many of the shots in the book are candid, taken in our tiny apartment, with images of my paint boxes, pencil cups, and ‘smalls’ (the little things collected that make us happy). 

So you get to see my beloved peg board, our lifestyle, my belongings, one of the last photos taken of me fully figured. When I first saw the photographs, I was floored! I could pretend our apartment is huge! I could believe the story that was created by beautiful photography. 

The author photo shows me with a doo rag covering the glare of my shiny, bald head (which I came to love as a symbol of my strength.) I was in the midst of my 4th chemotherapy dose, just the week before my 5th, when I felt my best. I think back on this and marvel at my strength and tenacity. This helps me to realize just what I am (we are) capable of. And to have such a thing, bound, laminated with my name on the spine as a reminder? Priceless. (I had the spine cut off  the covers laminated, had them give it a spiral binding. I even signed my own copy, why not?). I saved the spine and applied a magnetic strip to it, it is on the fridge!  🙄

So, if you own a copy, here is some insider info:

Page 32, behind the plastic dye containers, on the wall is an ornament that Judy Coates Perez made for me.

Page 88 and 89: That is my good friend Cricket, who hepled the photographer and I organize ourselves.

Page 91: We had to rearrange the apartment to take the three sewing machine shots.

Page 112: The little wooden sewing machine was made for me by my friend Jod, the Snape ring to the right of it was made by my friend Shanna. The pinecones were sent to me as stuffing in a package.

Page 120: I call my bed quilt The Beast (it is KING size), I asked the photographer to take this photo, he didn’t really want to because it a wonky angle. But it made it in the book!

Page 126: The author photo was taken across the street, it was the first photo that was taken of me for that purpose. I like my softness. 

And, because this is a celebratory day, my one year anniversary (birthday?) from surgery, I am going to give away two books to folk who commented after helping me with my survey.

And the winners are?

Suzan Engler won this copy. Please email me!

Janet Burns won one copy. Email me please.

And heck, if you would like a signed copy, please don’t hesitate to click that button on the upper right. Or if saving some cash works better for you, Amazon has a pretty cheeky discount, Dreaming From the Journal Page.

And you know? Thank you. It has been a long road since this post, where Leslie helped me tell you what what happening. So many of you sent packages, cards, love, care, emails, prayers. You helped me to see that I am as well loved as I love. Thank you for that. That is a gift beyond measure.