A really cool story

It was sometime in April that my Mom, and my friend, Jane, and I went to a quilting and mixed media expo put on by the magazine, Cloth, Paper, Scissors. Prior to the show they sent out a call for ATCs. They were to have a wall of ATCs that were sent in by readers. You could make and send in up to five ATCs. Then, if you went to the show you could trade for as many ATCs as you made. Jane and I each sent in five ATCs.

The show day came and we were chomping at the bit to get in there and see what this wall of ATCs looked like. We went on the Sunday of the show, so the amount of ATCs was diminished, but there were still a lot of them. We had about an hour before the swap time so we stood there like two little stalkers picking out which ones we wanted. We were very lucky. They were going to let us pick the ones we wanted instead of just randomly giving out ATCs. So, we mapped out our strategy as to which ones we wanted to take home. There was one ATC that I had to have. If I could have only had one, this was it. Well, by golly, I got it (and four others!). I was so happy! Right after the swap my Mom met us for lunch. I was so hepped up about the ATC I had to contact the woman who made it. Usually people put their name and e-mail address on the back of their cards. On the back of this card was the name of the woman, Jo Ann, and her phone number. Well, I just called her right then and there from lunch at the expo center. Here is the cool part.......after explaining who I was and why I was calling out of the blue on a Sunday afternoon we got to chatting. She was so thrilled that someone loved her ATC as it was one of the first one she had ever made!!!! It turns out that Jo Ann is 73 years old! She had first read about ATCs in a recent issue of Mary Englebreit's Home Companion and just decided to try her hand at it!!! I think Jo Ann has done some other artistic things, but I am not sure. She does not have a computer and is not on the internet. We have corresponded a little so far, and hopefully will do more letter writing and ATC swapping in the future. I sent her some of mine recently and I hope to hear back from her soon! I think her style is so totally cool and exciting! Yes, that is her ATC in this post!!!! Isn't it divine???? It really gets my altered art mojo going!!!!