DJ PETTIT PART ONE

This past week, on June 19th my friends Eileen, Jacquie and I went to Donna Downey's studio in North Carolina to take a four day workshop with DJ.  That was a dream come true for me.  I have always admired her work and longed to take a workshop with her.  I really thought I was going to have to go to Italy to do it!!!  Well, thankfully I did not have to go that far, although I would have "sacrificed" and made the trip!

DJ Pettit

I love going to Donna's studio.  Not only is she a fabulous artist, but she and her husband Bill make you feel like you are their new best friend every time they see you.  Going to their studio is like visiting an old friend.  A friend with LOTS and LOTS of very cool toys!

Jacquie and I flew from Miami to Charlotte where our friend Eileen was waiting for us after her trip from New York.  Eileen is the greatest person and I love her dearly.  She too had wanted to take a workshop with DJ so this was just perfect.

The workshop involved created one of DJ's awesome journals with fabric, buttons, lace and oh yea, paper!  If you have lived under a rock and are not family with DJ's fabulous work, google her!!!  You will  be amazed at the wonderful work she does!!

(PHOTOS FROM DJ'S JOURNAL)

DJ designed this project just for our workshop!

We were not really thrilled with the idea of sharing sewing machines with 22 other women so  Jacquie and I had discussed buying a sewing machine in Charlotte and returning it after the workshop.  Tacky, I know, but it is what it is.

We took a taxi from the airport to the Hampton which is a couple of miles from the studio.  This is the hotel where most of Donna's "guests" stay and I really like it.  We were all starving and walked across the street to this great little Mexican place Jacquie and I ate the last time we were there.  In search of a sewing machine and without a car, we asked the waitress if there was a fabric store close by.  As luck would have it, there was one in the same shopping center along with a Tuesday Mornings which we love also.

We went first to Tuesday Morning and were thrilled to see that they had a sewing machine though not so thrilled that it cost $300!!  However, as obsessive as we are, Jacquie bought it any way.

We then went a few doors down to Hancock Fabrics.  We went a little crazy looking for lace and fabrics (surprised?).   I saw this adorable little sewing machine (Janome Mini) and for only $80.00.  Eileen told me that Lynn Perella had told her that she travels with that sewing machine as it only weight 5 Pounds! PERFECT!!  Jacqui returned the sewing she had purchased and we each bought a Jaome Mini (after seeing ours, a lot of the ladies went and bought one of their own!).  Great little machine!

One of my posse - and we are ALL enablers - told us that this little beauty was on sale at Home Depot online for $59 and FREE SHIPPING!!!  Well, can't pass that up!  I bought two of them so that we can use them at next year's Keys 4 Art (exciting new about that later!)

We ended Wednesday night watching TV and looking forward to meeting DJ the next morning!!!