Unexpected Story: Wine Glasses

Last date in Observatory Park in 2004

In November 2004, Nick and I went on a date in Sydney. It was our last date before the end of our trip. The end of the five months when we met, fell in love, and went on the most incredible adventures. We walked the streets that had become so familiar and stopped in a number of stores to gather items for a picnic. We even stopped in a small gift shop and purchased two beautifully painted wine glasses. Late that afternoon we headed to our favorite park in the city and stayed for hours. We drank wine out of our new glasses, watched the sunset, and talked about what would happen next.

A week later, Nick left Australia. When I returned to my dorm room after saying goodbye, I found a note on my desk. In it, he explained that since we couldn't be in the same place right now, our wine glasses would stay together and we would pass them between us. Since we had planned that I would visit him in Minnesota over the New Year, he would bring the glasses home with him until that time, and so on.

New Year's Eve Party 2005. Australian wine glasses.

Sure enough, on December 31st Nick and I were at party in Minnesota. I was meeting all of his friends and we were drinking from our wine glasses painted with aboriginal art. A few hours and glasses of wine later, my glass was sitting on the kitchen counter when a girl swung her arms out. I watched, as if in slow motion, as my glass shot across the granite and shattered on the floor. Without a thought of composure, I crumpled over the broken shards and cried. I unintentionally made a small scene in front of Nick's friends who did not yet know me. Only a few seconds passed before embarrassment overshadowed my disappointment and I rushed out of the room.

In my absence, Nick's sweet friend, Myles found a tupperware container and swept the pieces into it for me. After I returned to the kitchen, explained myself, reassured everyone that I was fine, and cradled the plastic container- the party resumed.

When I left Minnesota at the end of that week, I did bring the intact wine glass and the tupperware container back to Boston in my suitcase. When I got home, they were packed in a box of fragile items and for years, every move, every apartment, the glass and the tupperware moved with me and then with us.

A few days ago, as I wrote about in this post, I pulled the glass and the tupperware out of the box. I decided that we should start using the one that is not broken and either make something with the broken pieces or finally toss it out.

Last night, we used the glass for the first time in eleven years and right before we went to bed, Nick knocked the glass off a table and it broke into pieces.

I did not crumple. I did not cry. But it wasn't until this morning that I started to laugh about all of this. So now I ask, does anybody have any experience with mosaic?

Both glasses in the tupperware.

Sunday in October: Little Bits of Magic

It is Sunday and football is on. We have nothing planned today and I am happy for it. We will take on a few house projects and hang out as a family. I will write and we will cook dinner together. Days like this are not as common as we would like but so nice when they occur.

This fall Emaline is getting into the season, seemingly collecting baby pumpkins, painting them, placing them on the steps, and repeating the process every time it rains and the paint runs off. I love sitting with her on the deck as she focuses on putting just the right amount of blob and swirl on each little pumpkin.

 

And my addiction to Netflix documentaries continues. My recent favorites are Maidentrip and Hungry for Change. The second, pushed me into a smoothie kick. I really enjoy stuffing handfuls of leafy greens, carrots, and fruit into our Big Boss blender. I know I am doing something good for myself and it really does taste great! 

All of this

Becomes this.

I am most of the way through Big Magic and love it! I knew I would. Elizabeth Gilbert is one of my all time favorites. I have written about her podcast, her TedTalk, and her books. She is wise and honest and her opinions on art and creativity are so refreshing.

This book could not have come at a better time. I have been met with a very special writing opportunity and have appreciated the encouragement as I begin a new adventure. I will be able to share details with the blog very soon!

**And speaking of creative living, my awesome SIL has opened up an etsy shop! You can check out Smudge Guest Books HERE. Babies, engagements, showers, weddings, little kid birthday, personalized art. Elise is offering a special offer for Write to Simplicity readers. If you order before the end of October and mention this post, you will receive 10% off your order!

Guest Post: My SIL the Artist

Elise and Emaline

The final guest post is from my sister-in-law (SIL). She is Nick's sister and one of my best friends. She comes from a long line of male engineers but breaks away from the pack with creativity and ease. Elise is kind, thoughtful, laid-back, and so talented. She teaches art to kids- kindergarten through twelfth grade.

For my friend's daughter's birthday. I asked for simple flowers. Perfect.

Art comes so easily to her. She has gifted me a few pieces and at times, I have commissioned her work. She creates beautiful pieces and shares it with a casual grace that leads me to believe, she does not know how amazing she is. For my wedding and again for my baby shower, she made me a dot art photo. They are the best! I'll let her explain:

Baby Shower Guest Book. The tree reminds me of something from Winnie the Pooh.
Childlike and imaginative. Love

Wedding Guest Book. I love this hanging in my house.

Wedding. Engagement party. Baby-shower. Best friends’-kid’s-Frozen themed –birthday party. House warming. Diaper kegger.

As I inch further into my late twenties I've found that my calendar gets filled with these adult-ish mile-markers and events. I’m coming to realize that I am, in fact, old enough for all of it. With this party maturation that’s happening the ante has been upped for proper gift-giving.

I feel I've been acclimating quite well to it all and I've learned that with these grown-up events you ought to be kind and get a thoughtful gift. I can’t even remember where I saw the idea initially; maybe it was someone who brought the concept to my attention, but one way or another I began making finger-print guest books. It was all a little out of the blue, but making these guest books felt completely natural.

Birthday Party!

A finger print guest book isn't really a guestbook, but more like a sleeker evolved version of that idea. All of your party-goers stamp their fingerprint onto the work and sign their name on top. The collected fingerprints complete a picture and create a beautiful representation of all the support and love shared at that particular time and place. I love giving these guest books to my friends. They’re unique, made with my own hands, and beautifully functional. It feels great creating something special for the ones I love. I’m loving all of these new additions to my calendar.

 Bring on the parties that start at noon and end promptly at three.

Thank you Elise! And thanks again to all the creative minds who shared their craft! Your talent, though varied and unique, helps me remember why it is so important to follow your passion!

Did you miss: Rachel Running Wild? Theresa's gift? Ashley's makeup tip? This amazing song?

Guest Post: Knitting Gift

Today's post is from my friend Theresa. I have been a fan of her knitting ever since I complimented her scarf and she responded, "Thanks! I made it." I was awe struck. It looked expensive, intricate, and so lovely (see photo at bottom of post).

And when she gifted me a baby blanket, I was honored. It was such a kind gesture and the blanket was heavy and warm and beautiful. But it wasn't until I started toting that blanket everywhere that I realized how talented she truly is. It looks the same as the day she gave it to me and the number of compliments I receive is endless. Once while browsing at a boutique baby shop, the owner called all of the employees over to admire the quality. Somebody made this for you? They always say in slight disbelief. 

Thank you Theresa for sharing some insight into your gift!

Kerin asked me to consider writing this blog post a little while ago and I have to admit, it stumped me a little.  My talent is knitting… and what non-knitter wants to read a blog post about knitting?  So, I decided to write about me, as a knitter, rather than the topic in general.  I’m a self-taught, slightly more accomplished knitter than your average needle toting fiber artist.  Ha, fiber artist, that makes me feel fancy!   The truth is, I picked up the hobby not because of what I can produce when the needles are removed, but because of the result the entire process has on me, mentally and physically. 

I have ADD, and I am not a fan of the medications out there that help me master this behavioral condition.  I’ve tried them, they work, but they scare the pants off me.  So, as someone who is, by choice, un-medicated, I needed to find a way to channel the constant desire to be moving/doing/producing.  Crafting, in any form, is a great way to solve for that need, at least for me.  I’ve been big into that sort of thing my entire life (as a kid, I liked LOVED beads), and in my mid-twenties, I discovered knitting.  A friend at work had taken to knitting over lunch, and I was mesmerized!  She was knitting, and eating and talking all at once!  I headed to the craft store after watching her that first day, found a great website that night, and brought in a scarf that was already a foot long the next day to work on at lunch. 

Fast forward a half a decade, and I’ve taught (or in some cases retaught) several people how to knit, I’ve knit something like 20,000 yards of yarn (for perspective, that’s over 11 miles), I’ve written a few of my own patterns (as far as I am concerned, that is the most daunting and complicated aspect of knitting), I’ve knit all of the typical hand knit items you can think of (scarf, hat, mittens, blankets, sweaters, socks, etc.) and I’ve taken the leap and opened up a small Etsy site.  For years, the fine print associated with running a shop on that site has terrified me, but here I am.  If anyone reading this is a Ravelry fan, please be my friend! 

When it comes to a hobby as laborious as knitting, patience is a virtue… The previously mentioned ADD does mess with me from time to time, but the hobby itself has taught me to control my impulses and see where the process can take me (plus, I easily stay caught up on all of my favorite prime time TV simultaneously!).  My favorite things to knit are the things that will be gifts, especially for babies, as they are inherently adorable.  Miss Emaline received one of my favorite gifts to date – a stroller sized peach, green and purple blanket:

Emaline and family have given me the most wonderful ego boost and confidence builder any knitter out there could ever hope to receive.  Knowing how amazing Kerin is with words, you would likely assume it’s some sort of glowing thank you note, but no, it’s completely non-verbal.  Prior to their move (I just can’t even talk about how sad I am to not have them here anymore), when I would visit, not only would the blanket be out (I am very accustomed to the gift I knit being strategically displayed when I visit anyone) but more importantly, showing distinctive signs of wear and use.  The amount of time, work and effort (and in many instances strong emotion) that go into knitting a gift are so overwhelming that the idea of a blanket or a stuffed animal being kept on a shelf out of baby’s hands for fear of them destroying it is almost too much to bear.  I want Emaline to nap on that blanket, spill and spit up on that blanket, tote it around the house and yard getting dirty; I want it to be HER blanket.  Plus, any good knitter will always be sure to knit baby gifts out of yarn that can be machine washed!  So please, consider this my PSA on behalf of knitters everywhere, USE YOUR GIFTS!

That said, I have found the time to make a few things for myself over the years.  The last thing I want to touch on is the project that helped me to realize just how emotional this hobby of mine can be, if you let it.  The project started out as my very first commission, a scarf for a coworker.   She had picked out the pattern and the yarn for herself, and wanted me to knit it for her.  I was happy and excited to do it.  However, in the end I could not bring myself to give it to her (but I did make another for her).

The reason this scarf is so special, and why it took so long to complete (6 months!) is that it was the last thing my grandpa saw me working on before he passed away. My grandfather was one of the most important people in my life and he LOVED this scarf. He always wanted to see my progress on it when I went to visit him.  When he would look at it, he’d get all teary-eyed and tell me that my grandmother would have been so proud of me if she could have seen my knitting (I didn’t learn until after she had passed away).  I will always be able to remember him sitting at the kitchen table tracing the cables of the scarf with his fingers. 

I savored completing this project, often at times only knitting a row or two before putting it down.  When the time came to bind off, I was able to truly appreciate a finished item in a way I hadn’t yet experienced with anything else I had made for myself – I smiled, truly smiled, from the bottom of my heart.  The thing I long to see when I give a gift to a friend or family member, I had managed to do for myself.  In fact, it’s the one care instruction I have listed on the back of my labels.  As long as you smile when you wear or use something I’ve made, I’m happy.  I won’t mind if you wear it out, get it dirty, or if in fact it’s not your style (for the record though, I REALLY try to avoid knitting anything ugly, I REALLY do try).  Just smile.