“What’s in the little bag?” Adrian asked.
“Charms,” she said. “I just made them this afternoon. I wanted everybody to have one.” She held up the bag. “I have one for each of you. This one is for you.” She handed one to Sheila.
“This is lovely,” Sheila said. “I’ve always loved the Tree of Life.”
“Yes, I like it, too,” Cora said. “It’s affirming, isn’t it? And you are such a tough cookie, but I can see how important your family is and what a good mother you are. It’s so heartwarming. I thought of you immediately.”
Sheila looked up at her with a hint of a tear in her eyes. “Thank you.”
They had shared a horrible moment together at the abandoned theme park. Cora thought they would always be friends now.
“Now, let’s see,” Cora said, and dug farther into the bag. “Here, this one is for you, Donna.”
“What is it? It’s lovely,” Donna said.
“That’s a Brigid’s Cross. It’s for protection and strength,” Cora said. “Not that you need it, with your mom on your side. But we can all use a little extra protection.”
Donna beamed.
Cora handed Liv a charm shaped like a goddess with spirals etched into her.
“She is gorgeous! Thank you,” Liv said, her eyes wet with tears.
“This one’s for you, Ruby.” Cora handed her a charm with an impression of rosemary leaves.
“Rosemary for remembrance,” Ruby said with a winsome note.
Cora wondered if she was also thinking about her long-lost sister, Rosemary. Though at first she had been unsure of Ruby, with each day she’d gotten to know her better, she was more and more grateful for her presence on the property—and her life.
“I even made you two a couple of charms,” Cora said to Cashel and Adrian. “They’re bookmarks, see?” She handed Cashel and Adrian her charmed bookmarks. She’d fashioned each of the charms into little books. Both of them loved to read.
“Those are so cool!” Jane said.
“Yeah, thanks so much!” Adrian said.
“Yes, Cora, thanks,” Cashel said.
“What about me?” Jane said. “Don’t I get one?”
Patience was not Jane’s virtue.
“Of course,” Cora said, and lifted the charm from the bag.
Jane’s hands went to her face and she gasped.
“What?” Ruby said. “Let us see!”
Jane held up a tiny pair of ruby-red slippers. “So adorable,” she managed to say.
“‘There’s no place like home,’ you know, and I think we’ve found one. Don’t you?” Cora said.
Jane nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
Cora glanced around the table. “I wish Paul were here.”
“Where is he?” Adrian asked.
“He’s at the hospital with Gracie,” Cora said.
“To Paul.” Ruby held her glass of iced tea up and everybody toasted.
“To Cora, Jane, and Ruby,” Liv said. “What a fabulous retreat! I could have done without the side attractions, but, well, you know, it was so worth it!”
“Thank you, Liv,” Cora said. She breathed a sigh of relief. It had been quite a retreat, even if they were sidetracked a bit. Their second retreat was hampered by Gracie’s disappearance and Henry’s death, but somehow the women kept crafting and even helped.
As she gazed out over the table, she felt her strength returning. This gathering of crafters and others, eating, chatting, and toasting one another, was what it was all about. It was what she wanted—fellowship and healing.
“Thank you, everybody,” she said. “For hanging in there with me. Let’s hope the next retreat is not quite as adventurous.”
Epilogue
So many changes happened within two weeks after the retreat. But there they stood in Kildare House—Paul, Cora, and Jane. Paul was getting ready to leave Kildare House—and the friends he had made there.
Paul blinked. Was he holding back tears?
“I owe both of you so much,” he said to Cora and Jane.
“Are you sure you have to go all the way to England?” Jane asked.
Cora couldn’t speak because of the lump in her throat. She was certain if she spoke, she’d make a fool of herself, blubbering all over him.
“Her parents and I found a great place for her there. The best doctors for her. The best situation,” he said. “It’s all about Gracie. It’s all about getting her back.”
Last week, Cora and Jane had gone to visit Gracie in the hospital and Jane was shocked by her appearance. She’d had to step out of the room.
“That’s not Gracie,” she said to Cora in the waiting room at the hospital.
“What?”
“I mean, it is her, but something is gone,” she replied.
The young woman had been drugged and accused of murdering one of her friends. But that’s not exactly what happened. Gracie saw her captor attacking Henry and tried to help. But her hands were tied and all she could do was kick.
Her captor and classmate, Ted Brice, had finally confessed to killing Henry, after he tried to frame Gracie for killing Henry, using her DNA—strands of her hair and fingernails. He was astute in his evil brilliance. He even had the pros fooled. The police were ready to convict Gracie up until he confessed. Cora felt much more secure knowing that he’d be in prison for a very long time.
She tried not to dwell on the image of Henry standing on the Yellow Brick Road trying to make sense of what had become of his friend, trying to defend himself. Cora hoped Henry knew in his last moments that Gracie was trying to save him.
Cora had seen some difficult and harsh situations in her life, but this had to be the worst. But every time she thought about it, she tried to replace the image with the one of Gracie finally escaping and stealing the rifle from Brice. Gracie had waited until he was asleep and then made her move, grabbing the gun and her phone and taking off, hiding in the forest. That image made Cora want to scream joyously from the rooftops.
“I’m hopeful,” Paul said. “I know she’s going to be okay. I can feel it.”
“You know, you said that about her when she disappeared, you said you’d know if she were dead. You were right,” Cora said.
“Such a romantic,” Jane said.
Paul grinned. “Guilty,” he replied.
Cora’s heart fluttered. Two years ago her heart was broken, and she’d seen countless broken hearts in her work. To see a young man so in love, so dedicated to his woman, gave her hope. This was a huge step for her. She might be able to trust and love again. Maybe Adrian had come along at the right time after all.
Adrian had seized on to the cybercrimes aspect of what had happened. He’d taken his sharp research librarian skills and found out about new apps Cora could use in order to protect herself from getting any more text messages. If a person wasn’t listed in her directory, their call or text would be blocked—it didn’t matter what software or Web site the other person used. There were countless Web sites and apps that promised users could send anonymous texts.
The game, however, was another matter. The FBI shut it down, and the owners of the game were now working with the FBI and Paul to create a more secure version. They had even hired Paul as a creative consultant.
“When did you say you’re coming back again?” Cora asked.
“Gracie needs to be back in September for a legal evaluation of her mental condition,” he said as a horn sounded from the street outside. “That must be my parents.”
“Stop by when you’re back,” Cora said. “Please.”
He nodded. “Will do.” He hugged Jane, then hugged Cora, picked up his suitcase, and headed out the door.
The foyer felt so empty. Paul Eugene Garrett had wormed his way into their home—and their hearts. Cora and Jane stood for a few minutes in silence.
“I need a drink,” Jane said after Paul had driven off with his folks.
“Wine?” Cora said as they walked into the kitchen, willing away the worry she felt about Paul
.
Jane nodded. “What a great guy. And to think I didn’t like him at all at first.”
“Proving once again you have lousy taste in men,” Cora said, and laughed. She pulled out two wineglasses from the cupboard and poured the wine.
“I can’t argue with that,” Jane replied. “But I do have great taste in friends.”
The two women clinked glasses.
“To us,” Cora said. “To our friendship and to what we’ve crafted together.”
Pressing Flowers
There’s so many fabulous things you can make from pressed flowers—bookmarks, frame mats, ornaments, sun catchers, jewelry, and so on. Here’s how to start right, by pressing the flowers.
Press flowers when they’ve been freshly picked. I recommend pressing the same day you take them home.
If you don’t have blotting paper, you can also use wax paper. Paper towels may leave an impression on your flowers (if textured), and newspapers tend to shed ink.
Depending on how you plan to use your dried flowers, you may want to snip your stems. This step is completely optional and will vary depending on the type of flower you’re working with.
Place flowers between two sheets of blotter (or wax) paper, making sure the petals do not touch one another.
Position your paper at the back of a heavy book and close. You’ll want to leave your flowers alone for about four to six weeks. The longer the press time, the longer they’ll be able to retain their coloring when exposed to the sun again.
Making Pressed Flower Bookmarks
In the story, Ruby leads a class on crafting wildflower bookmarks using a laminator, but if you don’t have a laminator, you can use an iron for a different effect.
Supply List
Wax paper
Iron
Paper
Flowers of different colors, shapes, and sizes
Directions
Fold a piece of wax paper in half and place flowers along the fold.
Fold the wax paper back over the flowers.
Turn your iron on to a medium warm setting.
Fold a sheet of paper around the wax paper and lay a sheet down to protect your ironing board.
Slowly and firmly iron the paper until the impressions of the flowers and wax begin to show through.
Look inside and your flowers will be sealed in the wax paper.
Take scissors and trim.
Use as a bookmark, make a greeting card, a scrapbook embellishment, or whatever else your imagination desires!
Making Pom-Poms
You can make pom-poms from yarn, ribbon, twine, or tinsel. The really fun part comes in play when you decide what to do with them. Cora has a rug made of big, fluffy pom-poms. But you can make animals, decorate gifts, or craft mobiles with them. Here are simple instructions on how to make them out of yarn.
Take your yarn or ribbon and wrap it around something hard, such as a small piece of cardboard, a book, or a stack of Post-its. You can also use the best tool—your hand. For larger pom-poms, four fingers is a good width; for smaller pom-poms, use a two-finger width.
Wind the yarn around and around and around. The more you wrap, the fuller the pom-pom will be.
When you’ve wound to your desired “poof,” slide the yarn off of the surface and tie a piece of yarn around the center in a knot.
Take a pair of scissors and cut through the loops on both sides of the pom-pom.
Pull the yarn strands up and give your pom-pom a trim. This step is a must. Just keep cutting until it looks full.
Coffee-Filter Paper Flowers
The paper flowers in the basket for the guests at Cora’s Craft Retreat were made from coffee filters.
Supply List
Six basket-style coffee filters (any/all sizes) per flower
Floral stem wire (or anything else you want to use for a stem)
Floral tape or masking tape
Scissors
Stapler
Directions
Flatten up to six coffee filters and stack them one on top of the other in a neat pile.
Fold the stack in half.
Trim around the edge of the folded quarter. Cut any shape you like, from scallop to fringed.
Staple the bottom corner together.
Scrunch the paper around at the staple so it’s not quite as flat, as above.
Put a small hook in the top of your stem and run it through the flower from the inside of the middle, out through the bottom. The hook should keep the stem from slipping all the way through the bottom of the flower.
Wrap the floral tape around the bottom of the flower (covering the staple) down the wire stem about an inch and back up over the bottom of the flower. Pinch and secure in place.
Gently begin to unfold the layers of the flower starting with the outer layer and working your way in toward the center of the flower.
Painting Rocks
Directions
Collect smooth rocks found at the beach or riverside. Even if your stones look clean, you should scrub them with a little soapy water and a brush before you paint on them. There is always a little residue of dust and dirt on them. This would result in smudges or paint that chips off once it dries. Use acrylic craft paints to paint the whole rock or use permanent waterproof markers.
Draw the outline of your design using a very fine Sharpie.
Paint in the design using a very fine brush using the acrylic paints. The nicer your brush, the better your painting.
Use the Sharpie to trace the lines.
Coat with clear nail polish when they are all dry if you want more gloss.
Creating
Flower Impressions on Clay
Directions
To create flower impressions on clay, you need a drop cloth or plastic sheet to protect your work area, soft terra-cotta clay, a rolling pin, natural or artificial flowers, and a clay knife. Drape the drop cloth or plastic over your table or work area.
Prepare the clay: Knead the terra-cotta clay for 10 minutes to remove any air bubbles. Leaving air trapped inside the clay could cause it to crack or burst once you fire it in a kiln. Roll out the clay into a 1/2-inch-thick slab.
Press the flowers: Select the flowers you want to press into the clay slab. You can use either fresh flowers from your garden or from a bouquet or artificial flowers. Place the flowers on top of the clay slab without actually pressing them into the clay, until you feel satisfied with the arrangement. Once you’re happy with the flower positions, use the rolling pin to roll over the clay slab, gently pressing down to create an impression of the flowers on the clay. The flowers will stick into the clay. Use the very tip of a clay knife to lift up the flowers and remove them. You can now paint the clay with ceramic paint and fire it in a kiln.
Tips and warnings: Avoid pressing the flowers too deeply into the clay or you could have trouble removing them.
Making Polymer Clay Charms
At the end of No Charm Intended, Cora gifts her guests and friends charms she’s made from polymer clay, a fun, easy-to-use clay.
Supply List
Clay: Sculpey is the least expensive of the clay brands and it works just as well as the others.
Stamps: Cora uses stamps to make some of the designs in her charms. If you have stamps from card-making and scrapbooking use, they will work just fine with clay. You can also use other kinds of impressions here, like doilies, plants, and so on.
Cutters: You can use shape cutters and get a perfect shape. But you can sculpt clay shapes freehand. And, yes, you can use cookie cutters and other things.
Please note: Sculpey is non-toxic; however, if you use a kitchen item on it, don’t put it back in your kitchen to use on food. The clay leaves a slight residue on things, so if you use a cookie cutter on your clay, dedicate it as a clay-only cutter from then on.
Stylus: You will want something like this to help you with your design and also to add the word to your pendant. If you don’t have one, don’t worry, just use a tooth pick.
> Other things you will need: wax paper, small paint brush, paint, Mod Podge, and string/hemp for necklace.
Directions
Lay out a piece of wax paper for your work space. Clay is non-toxic, but you want to keep it away from any food areas. It leaves a little residue and the wax paper helps keep things clean.
Pick your clay color and break off a piece. Clay needs to be “conditioned,” so knead it for a few minutes to soften. Once it is soft, roll it into a ball and press it out flat. Keep it all a consistent thickness.
Use your stamp (or plant or some other texture) and make an impression in the clay. You don’t want to press so hard that you see the edges of the stamp base, but you do need a good, deep impression.
Cut your clay into the shape you want and then carefully remove the excess clay.
Tip: It might be better to stamp the design before cutting. It makes for easier cutter-design alignment. Plus, if you stamp after the shape is cut, you risk flattening the edge and your pendant will be lopsided.
Add any details—designs, words, and so on. Make certain you leave a hole for string or chains.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees and bake your clay for fifteen minutes. (Different clay brands have different cooking instructions, so read the label on your package.) Also, use either a disposable pan or a dedicated cookie sheet for clay projects—remember, you don’t want your clay to touch surfaces that also touch food.
Once they are done cooking, let them cool completely! Now that it is cooked, you could just string it on a necklace and be done. But you can add a little paint for more creativity.
Craft paint works great. Add paint into the stamped impression. Then with a damp paper towel or rag, quickly wipe most of the paint away. Do this step quickly or else the paint will start to stain your clay. If you wipe off too much paint the first time, just repeat the process until it looks like you want it to. I like mine to have just enough paint to show the depth of the design.
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