Truth be told, Elvis was my first crush. I was eight years old and living in Fort Richardson, Alaska. Three of us were named Donna in my second grade class, it was the year of the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Beatles had performed for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show, and for my birthday that year, I had my first slumber party. We went to see the opening of Viva Las Vegas at the movie theater on Post, and that was the moment when six best friends and I decided we would all marry Elvis. We contemplated the moves of Ann-Margret but decided our bodies would never be able to move those ways. Nevertheless, we made big plans amid giggles and whispers.

     Fast forward several decades later... The project called "Inspired by the Beatles" was wrapping up, and fiber artists who had made Beatles quilts wanted to know what was next. My son Andy was visiting Graceland and called me, from the line to go into the mansion. "Mom! You should see all of the people here! Your next project... you've got to do Elvis!"

     And so, the next challenge was born.