Toad's Holiday

It has been remarked that I share quite a bit in common with the beloved Toad in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, not least of all for my love of Gypsy caravans. I have dreamed of running away in my own canary-coloured cart since I was a little girl. So when John offered his Gypsy Vardo class I was the first to sign up. Making the cart was a holiday indeed! There are few things better than spending the day crafting with John and Ulla (who joined the class and taught the dressed Gypsy figure class the next day).

I admit that I did not complete my project in the one day allotted -- I didn't want to rush all the details that I knew would make my vardo authentic and unique. So over the past month I have had no end of fun dreaming about how I would finish it. Yesterday was the first day since the class that I was able to sneak away into my studio for any length of time to put on the finishing touches. I spent the entire morning and afternoon in reverie as I worked on my caravan and as I fiddled and tweaked it seemed as though I were growing smaller and smaller, until I felt like I could climb right on and take off down the bumpy road on an adventure to visit the Piper at the Gates of Dawn.