I made a pop-up card for my sister-in-law. Started it at my mother’s and finished it during the Zoom meeting with Jane Freidman’s workshop. (sorry, I didn’t realize I was unmuted—those cutting-scissors sounds were me.)
My friend and fellow-pottery artist, Carol Burt, is to blame for the pop-up inspiration. She loves making pop-up cards, and now she’s gotten me hooked. According to her, this is the best instruction book: Pop-Up Design and Paper Mechanics, by Duncan Birmingham. She’s getting ready for the Indiana Artisan’s Spring Marketplace, the same weekend as the Eclipse!
It actually worked—unfolding just like it was supposed to!! I should have taken a picture for you—I know, I know! I got distracted engineering a cardboard-reinforced shell to fit inside the manila envelope. When it finally fit, I was so happy, I slid it in and licked it shut. (I’ll take a pic of the next one, because now I can’t not make them)
The workshop, “From Anxious to Savvy: How Every Author Can Build a Lifetime Book Marketing Foundation” was through the Midwest Writers Workshop, an incredible organization. Literary citzenship is their mission. Jane Friedman has been a rich resource of information about finding and building your community, publishing, and the importance of reaching out to fellow writers. Their annual summer conference is wonderful. I attended last summer, embraced my tribe, and will do so again this summer.
Nerding out: I ordered a smalll surprise for my husband: a box of Red Oval Farms: Stoned Wheat Thins crackers.
These were (were) one the best crackers in the world. Both crunchy and chewy with cracked wheat. About a year ago, they started disappearing off the shelves. (“The Best Crackers at the Grocery Store are Gone But Not Forgotten”) Nabisco, who distributed them, gave no reason (“The World of Crackers Has Lost a Giant”). It is possible to order them from Amazon. It’ll cost you thirteen dollars and some change. fyi. We are parsing them out slowly between the two of us. Our own little stash of what feels like black market goods from Canada.