SCBWI QLD recently shifted gears into stealth mode, launching Operation WarmFuzzies, our top-secret mission to organise a farewell gift for Sheryl Gwyther, our ARA of nearly ten years. We sneakily contacted members around the State, asking for messages and contributions. The response was fantastic: we gathered enough to give Sheryl gift vouchers for performances at QPAC and a special keepsake book. With the little bit left over, we added a pretty T2 tea set.
The scrapbook-style keepsake book came off a treat. New SCBWI-QLD ARA Ali Stegert, whose favourite form of procrastination is pretending to do graphic design, collated 20 pages of photos, members' messages, and a darling caricature sketch by Anil Tortop. For the title, we borrowed a line from Shakespeare, one of Sheryl's passions: These Brisk & Giddy-Paced SCBWI Times. Ali uploaded the designs into a hardcover photobook to create an extra special keepsake for Sheryl.
We presented Sheryl her gifts and keepsake book at the recent SCBWI QLD State Conference and experienced a memorable moment of hilarity: one of Ali's now infamous typos made its public debut. On the cover. Doh!
