The Sentiments of August becoming September.

No matter how old you are, this time of year affects nearly everyone the same way. Whether we are getting offspring ready to go back to their institutions of higher learning, or thinking about what lies ahead for us this fall, the end of summer makes everyone feel like going out and buying a new pencil case and new shoes.

That little bit of sadness sets in as we bid adieu to not only our kids, but the warm sunny days that didn't last nearly long enough. Sure, there's still that last gasp of summer that happens after Labour Day. (I have a very vivd memory of putting on that new wool skirt for the first day of school, despite the fact that it is 30 degrees out there. No matter - you have to wear your new stuff.)

I find September, as many folks do, to be more the beginning of a new year than January. I guess I still live my life by the school calendar - and I was never even a teacher! But this fall, I will be exactly that.

I have two hooking weekends in which I will be teaching. The first one is just a couple of weekends away and I will be, in fact, teaching teachers. I am one of a committee of seven amazing women who are pushing the envelope with an expressionist portraiture course that we are giving to 18 of our peers. I am very excited.

We have been preparing for this weekend for nearly 18 months, and I have learned more in getting ready than you can imagine. We started out on a journey of exploration and we have all arrived at our destination with a new sense of our abilities and our creativity. I hope our students will be equally inspired.

My second teaching stint is a solo adventure. I will be teaching a wide cut class at the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild school in October. (see link on page). I have 13 students who will all be working on different projects and I will be there to guide them. I am very excited, since from my experience, the teacher not only teaches, but learns a great deal from the students as well.

Truth be told, this is my largest teaching gig so far in my hooking career. I've taught groups this large in other art disciplines, but not hooking. I'm already getting things organized and plan to be extremely prepared for my class. I love wide cut, so this is the perfect class to start with. And it is fitting that this new teaching coincides with the start of a new school year.

So welcome September! I look forward to buying a new pencil case and sharpening my pencils, and my teaching skills, in this new school year.