Staff photo commemorates new year in library

An official staff photo by Lifetouch School Portraits commemorates my beginning a new year as a library professional.

I’ve come a long way since first going to work in Bellview Elementary School library. That first year, I learned so much — and I continue to learn going forward.

For each staff photo, I dipped into my extensive hat collection, consistent with what has been a key part of my identity.

This year, I wore my “newsboy” cap made from brightly-colored fabrics. I modeled this hat after the touring-cap pieces I assemble for Hat People of southern Oregon, but I added a hat band.

As with many of my projects, which make use of repurposed materials, there’s a story behind each fabric.

The green-lace fabric and brown-twill solid were repurposed from discarded garments. The red-orange floral brocade fabric and the length of orange-red trim were on a giveaway table at Bellview Elementary.

The blue-and-multi-stripe fabric came from a sash in a giveaway box put out along an Ashland roadway.

Finally, the hat band in red-and-orange-sunflower, comes from a long dress that I shortened so its hem would be bicycle-friendly.