Tribute to Deb!!

For many years, my friend Debbie Driediger, enjoyed decorative painting with me. It was therapy for her, since she suffered with a disorder called Huntington's Disease. This affected her motor skills, causing her to have jerky arm & leg movements, and swallowing was very difficult. But she loved to paint with me. Here she is with her flower pot creation, and Welcome Banner. Over the years, she painted many flower pots to give as gifts to her friends and family.
We had a special birthday party for her, where we celebrated with Rolo ice cream, one of her favourites. Though her disease played havoc with her body, her mind was always sharp, especially in remembering birthdays and people's names and events, that I had a hard time remembering. We spent once a week walking for an hour; then we baked, especially yeast doughs, again therapy for her hands; and ended our morning happily painting in my art studio.
This is my gift from Debbie, a large flower pot with a wooden cut-out handle. First she painted a deep purple color, then a layer of crackle medium, plus an off-white paint layer. Once this cracked and dried, she mastered some beautiful flowers & leaves. I love this piece, it sits on my bathroom counter filled with my everyday creams, and hair products. It's a special reminder of a dear friend, whose life was cut short at 56, Debbie passed away last fall as a result of this debilitating disease, Huntingtons. Her gift keeps her memory close to me each day, and I think of the fun she had painting her flower pots, it makes me smile!!
Here's to Debbie... til later Frieda