Second Star to the Right and Straight on 'til Morning ~

“To live will be an awfully big adventure.” 

― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

This is the 45th year for the Festival of Trees and We CAN's sixth year doing a tree for the Festival.  This year, our creative, talented artistic director, Paula Perkins, took us to Never Never Land through the Darling's Nursery window.

Carolyn and Paula ~ getting us all started

We arrived at the South Town Center this morning on a cold, beautiful bright winter's day.  Our number was on the opposite side of the hall, so we all hoped that it would be a little warmer this year, but not to be - our booth was right in front of a big, OPEN  bay door and the wind was cold.  We put on our coats and mittens!

Paula and Carolyn decorating the tree

We are given a 9 x 7 space, which can be challenging when trying to fit two beds, a rocking chair, a Christmas tree and lots of presents! 

Rae Lee, Carol and Sandy covered the frames with fabric

 We spent a couple of hours on this cold concrete floor, stapling fabric to the frames - 

 Paula makes certain that everything is wired in and just perfect!  Everything on the tree must be wired in to the branches and there is re-bar going up the center of the tree that is connected to the tree stand below, making the tree solid and easily transported to the new owners after the Festival. 

 Carolyn, Paula and Sue working on the ornaments for the tree.

 Tinkerbell is the star of the show - she appears inside the paper lanterns and on the colorful clocks and takes the show on top of the tree

The bright colorful garland is all folded paper, wooden spools and ribbon 

 Second Star to the Right and Straight on Til Morning!

 John and Michael's beds are covered with bright home-made quilts and matching pillowcases

Carol's getting feisty with the electric tools! 

 Because of a few technical difficulties and rules that we were not aware of, Paula  had to re-design some of the background scenes . . . and they turned out beautifully.  There are silhouettes of  Michael, Peter and Wendy flying over the London Skyline. 

 All the banners add a personal touch and festive look to the Nursery

This year's crew minus Scott, who helped in spite of a recent shoulder surgery
Lynn, Rae Lee, Carolyn, Carol, Paula, Sue and Sandy 

All finished!  And what a fun Nursery 

  Ahhh, we were all cold (freezing cold) hungry and tired . . . it was so great to sit down at Olive Garden to visit eat  and relax Lynn, Carolyn, Paula, Sue, Rae Lee,  Carol  and Sandy behind the camera
Festival of Trees runs from Wednesday, December 2 through Saturday, December 5th at the South Town Center in Sandy, Utah. All proceeds go to help children at Primary Children's Hospital get the medical care they need.  Many of the trees done for the festival are dedicated to children or other loved ones and their stories are always inspirational and touching.   It is a great way to help children in need.  We work together on our tree and crafts that will be sold at the Festival Boutique throughout the year ~ so it feels like Christmas all year long!. We enjoy lots of laughter, fun and many hours of service together. They are all great ladies!

“To live will be an awfully big adventure.” ― J.M. Barrie

“You know that place between

sleep and awake,

the place when you can still

remember dreaming?

That’s where I’ll always love you

That’s where I’ll be waiting.”

~ J. M Barrie,  Peter Pan

 Our September meeting was held on Monday, the 14th at Carol's home.  We collected things for the Days for Girls organization.  Our stake will be doing a large service project with Days for Girls in November.  

Paula ~ the beginnings of the garland.

 Our project was working on the garland for our Festival tree. 

Barbara, Paula, Carolyn, Paulette, Janine and Vila working and chatting

We folded lots and lots and lots of fans,  

Carol ~ the paint fumes were getting to her!

 Carol painted lots of little wooden spools, then we glued colorful paper around them.

Janine and Vila folding and gluing hundreds of fans!

Carol and Barbara putting the garland together

 It was delightful to see the combinations come together to make these beautiful garlands for the tree.

Carol- measuring up!

 This was easier than getting out a measuring tape - a little over five feet!  (And only twenty more to go!

 A few of the colorful paper fans that become pinwheels as we glued them together in preparation to go on the garland.

Barbara, Carolyn and Janine

Carolyn, Carol, Paulette, Patti, Janine, Sandy, Vila and Barbara

We had a lovely potluck lunch mixed with lots of laughter.

  These ladies are the best!

Patti, Paula, Carol, Paulette, Barbara, Janine, Vila, Carolyn and Sandy attended. 

Carol, Carolyn, Patti, Paulette, Paula, Janine, Vila, Barbara

 Our October meeting will be held Monday October 5th. 

. "So come with me,

Where dreams are born

and time is never planned.

Just think of happy things 

and your

HEART

will fly on wings

forever in

Never, Never

Land"

J. M Barrie ~ Peter Pan

Second Star to the Right

“Build a house?" exclaimed John.

"For the Wendy," said Curly.

"For Wendy?" John said, aghast. "Why, she is only a girl!"

"That," explained Curly, "is why we are her servants.” 

― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

July's We Can was held at Carolyn's home.  We began working on ornaments for our Festival of Trees tree.  Our tree is a Peter Pan themed tree. 

 The name of the tree is "The Darling's Christmas."  The setting is the Darling nursery in London.  Paula brought 3 adorable ornament ideas for us to work on:  large pinwheels, paper lanterns with Tinkerbell inside; clock faces with Tinkerbell on the front. 

 “When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.” 

― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

 A busy group of women were able to finish all three sets of ornaments. Barbara, Paula, Paulette, RaeLee, Vila, Kasey (Vila's grand daughter), and Carolyn were in attendance. 

In addition to working on tree ornaments, we also collected temple clothing for the Saints in Tijuana, Mexico.  It will be delivered to Tijuana when the Spark of Hope Foundation goes down the first part of August.  And we collected lots of clothing that will go to Ukraine. Lynn knows someone who will ship the clothing there where it is desperately needed.

We had a yummy potluck luncheon.  Vila had brought a lovely bouquet of flowers from her garden for the centerpiece.   

Kasey working on some pcitures

The Festival of Trees set-up day is Monday, November 30, 2015 (the Monday after Thanksgiving).  The Festival will run December 2 - 5.  We're looking forward to making other ornaments at our August We Can at Paula's home

Rae Lee, Vila and her grand-daughter, Kasey

Paula and Paulette 

Our next We CAN meeting will be held August 3rd at Paula's home.