Work in Progress or Hockey Mom

I realized that I've done a couple of projects and not shown you pictures.  This one is a work in progress that I've been working on while my oldest daughter takes skating lessons.  It's a shirt for the little one.  I'm not loving the randomness of the design but I'm working with what I started.  Do you ever have second thoughts after starting a project?

I just love the handmade ribbon that I found (here).  It makes the shirt.  You'll have to take my word for it as it's hard to see much in this photo from my iPhone.  I don't know why it turned out all grainy - I've obviously got some learning to do on that.  My thinking is that a grainy photo is better than no photo which is what you'd have if I waited to download pictures off of the real camera.  Good thing for the iPhone, I just don't get to the real computer at home very often anymore.  I think this is ok, as it means I'm playing with the kids or creating something in the kitchen instead, and doing internet on the bus.

On Funerals

This picture only captures a fraction of the elegance of my Auntie’s beautiful horse.


On funerals

Anyone here like funerals? The official, formal part, I mean. Didn’t think so.

I’m starting to form a real dislike for them. I find that the real healing, satisfying part happens before and after the actual funeral. I don’t remember much about my grandmother’s funeral, what I do remember is sitting around at my aunt’s house visiting with my cousins, aunts and uncles in the days before and after and that just being together was comforting. My grandfater’s funeral was exactly 5 minutes long, followed by tea at the senior’s center and then home again. I cried all the way home. I felt alone.

When my grandmother on the other side passed away we gathered in the carport and built a casket together. I painted a big swirly letter B on it in her favourite color of blue (hippies? yes.). Working together on it filled the need to commemorate that I think funerals try to fill.

This weekend the family gathered again at my aunt’s house. No funeral this time for my cousin who had passed away. We played cards, ate pizza and homemade pie and visited. Cousins gathered from all over.

It’s what we all needed, no formal service required.

I’m starting to think why bother with a funeral at all, when, for me at least, it’s the gathering of family and friends that is important and healing.

Am I missing something? Agree or disagree? Please comment.

I love you, Etsy, but...

Change is in the air, can you feel it?  Maybe it's just in my house.  I have a feeling that 2011 is a year for going inward, for simplifying, and finding great joy that is in the nooks and crannies of our lives.  I can't wait, actually, and I feel better already.  Like making the intention has already started the process.

It is in the spirit of simplifying that I have to tell you that I'm closing down my Etsy shop, at least mostly (I have some inventory I'd love to get rid of).   I have a full time job with long commute and a young family.  It's time to concentrate my energy inward and on things that really matter.  I'm glad I did it - I learned so much about online business, working as an artisan; it pushed me creatively in so many ways and has been an experience that I will always be thankful for.  I don't have to think 'what if I had done that' because I did.  I acted boldly and was greatly rewarded.  I think if I had more time to dedicate to an Etsy store I could really make it work, and maybe in the future, when things change (things always change) I will be back.  

So for now, if you'd like something from my shop get it quick.  Otherwise I'm more than happy to do custom orders, in fact I'm hoping to have more time for them now, and they have always been the most exciting things.  I'm hoping to have more time to work on my own art, and projects for my family.  I'm excited for the new beginning.