Mama is Creating

My pitcher was running dry. I’ve always been the kind of person who liked to be creating something. (Other than small humans, that is.) With four children we always seem to be doing something “artsy”, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d made something just for the joy of making it. (And without my favorite little helpers.) With no more inspiration than that I headed to the craft store and, right around this time last year, took up hand embroidery. 

I can’t describe, without sounding absurdly overdramatic and “flowery”, the immense peace I felt while embroidering. The very first thing I made were these ugly little irises. They were messy and lopsided and I’m pretty sure they more closely resembled purple paint splatters than irises, but I had so much fun making them! Before I knew it I was embroidering our library bags, Potter quotes, holiday llama art, and my very first hand sewn bonnet for Mabel. (I put a little acorn on it since it was Autumn.) 

During this time of self discovery my grandmother mentioned that my great-grandmother, Hazel, had also done (and was quite accomplished at) hand embroidery. Great-Grandma passed away when I was 11, and while I’ve always felt extremely fortunate to have had her as a part of my life for as long as I did, to say I still miss her would be a gross understatement. In this I’d now found not only something I truly enjoyed doing, but a way to feel closer to my family history too.

It’s been a few months now since I’d picked up an embroidery hoop but August’s arrival, and with it the looming promise of Autumn, has me creating again! 

Embroidering in the early morning is much easier than trying to do it in the dark by cell phone light. In case anyone was wondering.