Last weekend’s making table began with a scatter of blank package tags — plain white, each with a little hole at the top — and ended in a drift of color and string. We turned them into bookmarks, passing paints, markers, and brushes back and forth.

One was a joint creation: I drew the bee, she added the honeycomb, a soft watercolor wash, and the words, this hive shall thrive. Another held a wizard mid-spell, coaxing a tree to grow. When the ink dried, we tied red-and-white twine through each tag, threading on bright beads so they’d swing at the ends.

We bundled them up and drove to the little free art museum. As we began placing the bookmarks inside, a visitor leaned in, watching the new pieces find their places. The bee never even made it to the gallery shelf — the person smiled, claimed it instantly, and slipped it away. First flight.