I'm working on editing my craft life. I've spent the past 18 months crafting with some purpose and no purpose. Doing what I love as much as I want--chasing shiny things--planing--playing--having a ball. I'm planning a big transition in life next March when I officially take early retirement. I've let the idea set for more than a year, and what started as a dream morphed into a maybe and finally became a plan. Now I can't imagine turning back. I realize that my chosen career wasn't so much a choice for me, but a default. Here I am I guess I'll do this. Some of it was great, some not so much. I'm choosing to retire and do what I love.
My official line is that I'm retiring to be a stay at home mom. Two teenagers with special needs need me as much as they did when they were 5 or 6. Or so it seems.
The truth is that I'm retiring so I can spend every spare moment in my sewing room. My favorite place on earth. Especially when I can hear happy sounds in the rest of the house. Or when the rest of the house is quiet because the boys are at school.
Creating is such great therapy. But either I need a LOT of therapy, or I'm getting carried away. I've tried to do everything that can be done with wool: knit, crochet, felt, needle felt, sew, stuff, bears, monsters, kitties, mittens, slippers, hats, scarves, dogs, mice, baskets, rugs, flowers, hair pretties, birds, owls-- You name it, I've either tried it or thought about trying it, or bought something at a thrift store so I can try it. Then I got interested in cotton silk and linen... quilts.... fabrics... pillows... oh my...
As the weather starts to hint at fall, I'm tempted to make some more mittens and hats. But maybe not this year. Maybe this year I'll stick with the things that bring me the most joy as I make them... The stuffed creatures of all types, and the flowers. The whimsical. We need warmth and necessities, but we also need whimsy. And recycled, reclaimed whimsy is the best kind.
I just had a great meeting with a young woman starting a new shop (Ecoflora her webpage and her facebook She is carrying my stuffed creatures and my flowers. All the things I love to make. I'm hoping she has great success. She has a great location, a huge shop, and a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
I'm also looking forward to visiting Judith from Bloomsbury Loft at the Columbus Country Living Fair. She has many of my things with her. If she sells everything, I'll make a tidy sum to put in my rainy day fund for after retirement! I browsed some of the vendors... Great stuff but high prices.
My official line is that I'm retiring to be a stay at home mom. Two teenagers with special needs need me as much as they did when they were 5 or 6. Or so it seems.
The truth is that I'm retiring so I can spend every spare moment in my sewing room. My favorite place on earth. Especially when I can hear happy sounds in the rest of the house. Or when the rest of the house is quiet because the boys are at school.
Creating is such great therapy. But either I need a LOT of therapy, or I'm getting carried away. I've tried to do everything that can be done with wool: knit, crochet, felt, needle felt, sew, stuff, bears, monsters, kitties, mittens, slippers, hats, scarves, dogs, mice, baskets, rugs, flowers, hair pretties, birds, owls-- You name it, I've either tried it or thought about trying it, or bought something at a thrift store so I can try it. Then I got interested in cotton silk and linen... quilts.... fabrics... pillows... oh my...
As the weather starts to hint at fall, I'm tempted to make some more mittens and hats. But maybe not this year. Maybe this year I'll stick with the things that bring me the most joy as I make them... The stuffed creatures of all types, and the flowers. The whimsical. We need warmth and necessities, but we also need whimsy. And recycled, reclaimed whimsy is the best kind.
I just had a great meeting with a young woman starting a new shop (Ecoflora her webpage and her facebook She is carrying my stuffed creatures and my flowers. All the things I love to make. I'm hoping she has great success. She has a great location, a huge shop, and a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
I'm also looking forward to visiting Judith from Bloomsbury Loft at the Columbus Country Living Fair. She has many of my things with her. If she sells everything, I'll make a tidy sum to put in my rainy day fund for after retirement! I browsed some of the vendors... Great stuff but high prices.
