Well, this may well be the longest adventure yet! In 2010 the Next Chapter Book Blogging Group tried our first ever mail-around! Together we set out to explore The Happy Book
by Meg Leder and Rachel Kempster, both of whom encouraged us with enthusiasm. (You can hear my interview with these lovely ladies here.) The Happy Book is an interactive delight, full of prompts to share pictures, drawings, poems, memories and reminders of where we find joy. What a perfect book to share.
Interest was so high that I created four mailing circles with participants in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany and the Philippines. With loving care, my friend Danette even followed up on the book, checking to see where it had arrived, ensuring the receiver knew here it was supposed to go next. (See, I've seen quite a few mail-arounds that... um... well, never made the "around" part.) Eventually it became clear that the plan was really ambitious and that life, well, life has its own plans.
But even so, through all the distance, through all of the challenges, through all the things life threw our way...
One book made it home!
Thank you to everyone who added their joy to the adventure, whether it was in this book or in one that is still roaming or whether you joined in for our Friday happy check-ins. It really is true what they say: shared joy is doubled joy. Thank you for all the smiles.
If you're ready for more creative adventures, you can always find me at Jamie Ridler Studios. I love to see you!