Mike

Really hard for me to capture this one. The quote says, "A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit." This was a gift for Mike, who is my boss. It's been a hard transition for him to go from serving clients where results were immediate and tangible to being the Chief Learning and Development Officer where, on a good day, you influence the creation of learning platforms and initiatives. In spite of the personal challenge, Mike has accomplished so much for the people of Ernst & Young and I wanted him to know that I recognized and appreciated his legacy.

I have three males on my team and failed to photograph their gifts. I bought each one an appropriate book for their coaching specialty and then made them each a leather bookmark. I dyed the leather and wrote sayings on each one that I think captured their personalities. For example, on Jim's I wrote, "I see good people" as he always looks for what is good in others and never has an unkind word for anyone. I attached a "charm" to each bookmark. I searched thru rolls of pennies until I found the year that each of them joined EY and then attached that penny to an antiqued disc that I stamped with the phrase "lucky EY". I'm the one that has been lucky to know all the members of this team!

Joan

Joan is one of our newer coaches and calls herself "a traveler, not a tourist". I made this bracelet for her and included a compass charm.

Karen

I tried several different designs until I landed on this necklace for Karen. It is natural and elegant just like her. What was really interesting was that on the evening that I gave my team members their gifts, the jewelry matched what they were wearing.

Vera

In a team-building exercise that only coaches could do, Vera identified herself as a "quirky pioneer", which we shortened to QP--thus the kewpie doll. I searched on etsy until I found the right centerpiece. I stitched seed beads to a leather cuff and made a mermaid dangle that contains the initials Q and P with some beads. I knew she would turn bright red with laughter when she opened her gift and she did!

Dawn

This bracelet is made of individual lucite flowers fastened to silver links. It's most likely painful to wear but I loved the design for Dawn. She is a bright, blooming, blingy member of our team and all-girl!

Barb

Barb has been my right arm for so many years. We finish each other's sentences. When I told her that she, at times, was my brain, she commented that her brain was her chocolate lab named Maddie. Barb said, "wouldn't Ernst & Young be surprised to know that all original ideas around coaching actually come from my dog?" I found a set of blank, wooden, Russian nesting dolls and decoupaged our faces on them and painted the bodies. Don't you love Maddie in a bubushka?

Janice

Difficult to read but the inscription, "I will always be behind you" is printed on an old dictionary page. Janice is my successor. We joked during the transition of my being her training wheels. One day I commented that not only did she take off the training wheels, she left the neighborhood! I wanted Janice to have something to hang in her office to remember that I am always behind her in spirit, cheering her on.

Carla

I made gifts for all the members of my coaching team. This is a leather cuff I made for Carla whose mantra is "play big"!

Bette Ann

Bette Ann is an old friend from our Plano Texas days. I recently visited them when I was in Dallas for business. We had a relaxed weekend of reminiscing, drinking wine and we attended an arts festival in Southlake. I made this bracelet for her. Not sure it was the right choice, but I trust that if she doesn't wear it, her granddaughter, Maddie, will!