When he was six years old, Wes Wesselhoeft and his parents were unceremoniously snatched from their peaceful life in Chicago, Illinois and taken by train and truck to Crystal City, Texas where they were interned with other Japanese and Italians being held hostage in the hysteria of World War II. Hear Wes and Shirley tell the story – or parts of the story ’cause I want you to read the book and join us in The 70273 Project Book Chat in The 70273 Project Facebook Group (date and time to be announced) – in their own words. It is a story of resilience and generosity of spirit if ever I’ve heard one.
Join The 70273 Project Campfire (a.k.a. Facebook group) so you don’t miss this book chat where you can ask Shirley, Wes, and even Nealy the Service Dog questions and make comments on the book.
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I met Sara Henry, Director of Student Accessibility Services and Conference Organizer at the University of Maine, at the AHEAD Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July 2018 when she stopped by The 70273 Project booth to make a block. When she invited me to be a presenter and host a 70273 Project Block Drive as part of the conference that’s a World Usability Day event, I was delighted and honored to respond with a hearty “Yes.”
The conference is from 9 am to 4 pm and offers an amazing variety of speakers and useable information. And there’s more: the conference is open to the public! Registration is quick, easy, and can be tended to here. Go here for a schedule, map, and other information.
I recently interviewed Sara Henry as part of growing The 70273 Project Podcast. Give a listen here or watch it on The 70273 Project You Tube Channel for the visual version. Note: Bear with me as I learn how to do this, and remember, we embrace imperfections.
We’ve fallen in love with Maine
as we make our way to Orono and the University of Maine campus.
the houses that seem capable and confident, ready to shelter the people they love
the small towns that whisk me back in time to my Fayetteville, GA childhood
the boats
the Penobscot Bridge (Oh how The Engineer loves bridges!)
and lobster
Acadia National Park
its water
and its trees
all quite beautiful despite the rain and fog it dressed in today.
We’ve lingered in two bookstores, and I declare, y’all, they have revived me. The scenery and the bookstores – oh my goodness – the stories are popping up everywhere.
Oh, and when The Engineer spied the sign for the quilt store, we stopped
and left some cards for The 70273 Project
and shopped – you know I shopped a little.
Come to the conference if you can. And be sure to get up in my face and say Hey.
Julie Sefton and I met and became friends through one of my favorite blogs written by one of my favorite people: Jude Hill. (Jude has been very supportive of The 70273 Project since its inception. Thank you, Jude.) As sometimes happens, our families took us in different directions, and then through the magic of Margaret Andrews, Julie and I reconnected. Julie is not only a remarkable woman and quilter, she has a son with a disability and is coordinating The 70273 Project Special Exhibit for the upcoming Davies Manor 22nd Annual Quilt and Fiber Arts Show.
Besides talking about her personal quilting preferences and journey (I coined the phrase “bioquiltography” a decade or so ago. Once had a blog by that name, too.), Julie tells us more about The Davies Manor Quilt Show coming up this weekend and The 70273 Project Special Exhibit that will be there. If you live in the vicinity of Memphis or more specifically Bartlett, Tennessee and can go lend a hand at The 70273 Project exhibit, telling folks about the project, putting info in their hands, helping them make blocks and make sure they complete a Provenance Form, that would be fantastic! Let me know and I’ll pass your info along to Julie who will join me in being oh so grateful.
Here are the particulars: Who: Davies Manor’s Association 22nd Annual Quilt and Fiber Arts Show What: An annual quilt show that this year includes a Special Exhibit of The 70273 Project quilts When: Friday, 11/2/2018; Saturday, 11/3/2018; and Sunday, 11/4/2018 from 10 am to 4 pm Where: Located just off exit 20 of I-40 with entrances at 9336 Davies Plantation Road and 3570 Daviesshire Drive, Bartlett, TN How: For more information, visit Davies Manor Plantation Facebook page and the Davies Manor web site
How much: $5.00 for one day or $8.00 for all 3 days
A note before we begin: we experienced technical difficulties with Julie’s interview . . . we simply could not convince the microphone on her computer to play nicely. We asked, we cajoled, we pleaded and nothing worked. So eventually I just asked Julie to sit as close to the microphone as she could and talk as loudly as possible because we’re The 70273 Project Tribe, which means that we find the beauty in the imperfect, keep going forward no matter what, and know that the flip side is always joy. So turn your volume up as far as it will go and huddle up with your computer cause I think you’ll find what Julie has to say as interesting as I do.
Thank you, Julie, for being such a valuable member of The 70273 Project. Thank you, Margaret Andrews, for not only bringing us back together, but for finishing so many quilts that will be on display at Davies Manor. And thank you Nancy who’s in charge of the Davies Manor Quilt Show for taking such good care of The 70273 Project.
Julie . . .
~ teaches classes at her local quilt shop, Fabric for the Flock in Barlett, TN
~ has a Lecture/Trunk show for he Picking up the Pieces Guild in Memphis, TN on February 26, 2019 (no website)
~ will do a Lecture/Trunk Show for The Scrap Club hosted by Kevin the Quilter in O’Fallon, IL on February 28, 2019 with a workshop the following day
~ will teach a week-long class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in September 2019. Registration to open soon.
Would you be willing to let me interview you for The 70273 Project podcast? Send me a note via Facebook or email. or Instagram. I’m posting them as blog posts right now while I get an inventory and can handle it like an official podcast, posting the interviews in all the usual podcast lineups. Soon, y’all, soon.
And one more thing: If you’re anywhere near the Florida Atlantic University campus in Boca Raton, Florida, come to the library on Tuesday, 10/30/18 to say Hey and make a block. We’ll be there all day, from 8 am to 5 pm as part of Disabilities Awareness Month. Thank you, Michell Shaw, Director of Student Accessibility Services!
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L to R: Tari Vickery and Jeanne Hewell-Chambers in Channel Islands, UK January 2018
Perhaps you know her in person or through social media. Tari Vickery is a friend to me, to many of you, and to The 70273 Project. She is a 70273 Project Ambassador, an administrator for The 70273 Project Campfire Group and for The 70273 Project Facebook page, and because she spent a semester in France through a study abroad program, her French is good enough that she frequently takes part in discussion in The 70273 Project French Group .
L to R: Jeanne Hewell-Chambers, The Engineer, and Tari Vickery at the International Quilt Festival in November 2017
Last year, Tari generously volunteered to be the Financial Manager for The 70273 Project, keeping track of all things related to money – including (but not limited to) receipts, expenditures, and donations. With her background as Founder of the Life Matters Financial Group, she is uniquely qualified to do this, and we are deeply grateful to her for sharing her time and expertise with The 70273 Project.
Tari’s birthday is coming up soon – October 17, to be exact – and she’s set up a fundraiser for The 70273 Project on her Facebook timeline. It’s her birthday, and we get the gifts! If you’re friends on Facebook, perhaps you’d like to make a donation and/or share her fundraiser so others can. You’ll be hearing more from Tari in the coming months.
Give a listen to my recent interview with Tari to find out why The 70273 Project matters to her. And hey, the beginning isn’t perfect. But so what, right?
Thank you, Tari, for all the goodness you spill into my world, our world, The 70273 Project world.
If all goes according to plan, I’ll make The 70273 Project Podcast official next week, and for us to be considered legitimate, I need to get several episodes up as quickly as possible. Would you be willing to chat with me? I’m setting up an app so you can schedule yourself, but until I do, email me, find me on Facebook, or leave a comment and let me know.
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Hey, Sugar! I'm Jeanne Hewell-Chambers: writer ~ stitcher ~ storyteller ~ one-woman performer ~ creator & founder of The 70273 Project, and I'm mighty glad you're here. Make yourself at home, and if you have any questions, just holler.
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