The following is a guest post by my friend Robin. It really spoke to me, so I asked if I could repost for the Living Gorges readers. Robin is a maker, a doer, a creative spirit and a gentle soul. I feel very blessed to have her as a friend. I've interspersed some of Robin's creations throughout the text. She sells her "Made in My Back Yard" creations at Bloom and online. You can read other posts by Robin and discover all the awesome MiMby classes, products and events at the Mimby website http://mymimby.com/
KEEPING IT REAL....
by Robin
Today, my first day home in ages with no sewing to do or yarn store hours to fill, I sat down to lunch with Mollie Makes, a very cool UK magazine about making stuff and people who make stuff. My people. As I turned to an article about lifestyle envy, you know that catch in your tummy you get when you sense that others are doing stuff so much better than you are, I put my hands up to realize that I had one earring on and that thing drifting across the floor in the breeze was a tumbleweed of dog hair. It could be mistaken for a guinea pig.
I had been patting myself on the back. I bought fabric Wednesday for a skirt and sewed it TODAY. That must be some kind of record. I had a good showing at Bloom last Friday for their Artists' Night, which makes me giggle since I don't consider myself an artist, and sold almost everything I brought. A nice woman who came to the MiMBY Gift Sale in December emailed about carrying some of my stuff in her new shop. I had my first Etsy sale in ages this week. I've been moonlighting in a yarn shop that I love, and dreaming up marketing plans for knitting. I've been having a good run.
What this happy blogger/maker isn't telling you is that the kitchen floor doesn't recall the last time it was mopped, but it might not have been in April. Note that it's May now, and it certainly hasn't happened in May either. This week's chocolate cake baking is the first cake that's been baked in months. My veggie garden finally saw the turning fork this week, though I think the weather has provided an awesome excuse for my neglect. I think everyone's sheets have been washed in the last week or two, but I'm not entirely sure. The dog has decided that I have relinquished the role of Keeper of the House and has taken over this duty. We won't go into how. The sheep have noticed the unmown lawn and continually offer to help with that. I can't remember what my desk looks like. Ditto the project table. Right now I'm sitting at my desk typing and thinking that I should put away the loose thumbtacks in one of those jars I keep saving and wondering again why there is a sheet hanging in the doorway.
That's okay. I envy people who can get it all done and feed their kids wholesome and healthy food for every meal too. I would like to think that I could work and run the household and everything would go smoothly and I wouldn't lose my temper, but that is not the reality of my world.
I make stuff. And messes. I mess up stuff too. I forget things and events and bills and occasionally my kids. Not really. Well, sometimes. I hope, despite my messy approach to life, that I bring happiness to people too. Making stuff makes me happy. My hope is that the stuff I make makes other people happy too. Wow, my son just came home with an enormous television - the perils of a teenager driving. Guess I better try to impose some order.
